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NO.  91-80062 


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AUTHOR: 


LONDONDERRY, 

CHARLES  WILLIAM 


TITLE: 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  A 
TOUR  IN  THE  NORTH... 

PLACE: 

LONDON 

DA  TE : 

1838 


Master  Negative  # 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 


?/  -  $00  6 p  -  5 


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BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


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BERKKLKY'S  (Bp.)  WORKS,  COMPLETE.  By  Rev.  G.  N.  Wright.  2  vols.  8vo. 

BOO THROYD'S  FAMILY  BIBLE.     3  vols.  4to. 

BROWN'S  SELF-INTERPRETLXG  BIBLE.     4to.   Maps,  &c.  .  .         . 

DICTIONARY  OF  THE  HOLY  BIBLE.     8vo. 

CONCORDANCE  OF  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 

BURDER'S  ORIENTAL  CUSTOMS.     New  Edition.     By  Groser. 
CAMPBELL'S  NOTES  ON  THE  GOSPELS.     2  vols.  8vo. 
CALVIN'S  COMMENTARY  ON  THE  PSALMS.     3  vols.  8vo. 
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CLARKE'S    (DR.    ADAM)    COMMENTARY    ON    THE    OLD 

TESTAMENT.     6  vols.  Imperial  8vo.    .                  .                  .                  .         .  6 

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ii 


a. 


GEOGRAPHY,  HISTORY,  AND  BIOGRAPHY. 


NOVELS  AND  ROMANCES. 


ADDISON'S  DAMASCUS  &  PALMYRA, 

2  vol^.  8vo.  Ms. 
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BROWN'S  LIFE  OF  HOWARD  THE 
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INDIA,  4  vols.  1/. 

ITALY,   3  vols.  15*. 

MEXICO  AND  GUATEMALA,  2  v.  10». 

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FULLER'S  HISTORY  OF  CAMBRIDGE 
WALTHAM  -  ABBEY,      AND     INJURED 
INNOCENCE.  New  Edition,  by  Nichols,  14j. 


OF 
OF 


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^ 


I 


Bnidbury  luid  Bvaju,  Priniara,  Whit«friftr«. 


L 
f 


RECOLLECTIONS 


OF    A 


TOUR   IN   THE   NORTH   OF  EUROPE 


IN  1836—1837. 


J 


BY 


THE  MARQUIS  OF  LONDONDERRY. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 

VOL.  L 


LONDON : 

RICHARD  BENTLEY,  NEW  BURLINGTON  STREET, 
??ublisf)tr  in  ©ttinats  to   ^tx  iRajestg. 

1838. 


■ffr 


TO 


SIR  ROBERT  PEEL,  BART  M.  P. 


LONDON : 

riUNTED    IJY    IBOTSOX    AND    PALMER, 
SAVOY- STREET,  STKAXD. 


« 


oo 


Sir, 

During  your  short  administration  of  1834,  you  were 
so  kind  as  to  recommend  me  to  his  Majesty  King- 
William  the  Fourtli,  to  fill  the  high  appointment  of 
Ambassador  to  the  Court  of  St.  Petersburgh.  The 
violence  of  party  spirit,  and  (I  think)  an  ungenerous 
feeling  towards  myself,  opposed  the  nomination. 
Though  you  indignantly  resisted  so  unusual  an  attack 
on  the  King's  prerogative,  nor  would  permit  me,  after 
a  long  life  of  public  services,  (frequently  acknowledged 
by  parliament,)  to  be  put  aside ;  yet  I  conceived  it  was 
my  duty  to  relieve  you  at  once  from  any  possible  em- 
barrassment, by  tendering  my  resignation.  I  derived. 
Sir,  the  following  year,  the  highest  gratification  in 
visiting,  as  a  private  individual,  those  foreign  courts 
and  that  sovereign  with  whom  (by  your  favour)  I  was 
to  have  been  oflScially  connected. 

The  extraordinary  attention  I  received,  in  1836  and 
1837,  at  the  hands  of  the  Emperor  of  Russia, — my 

b  2 

113324 


I  > 


CD 


IV 


DEDICATION. 


,,  I 


marked  reception  in  Sweden  by  the  present  King, 
with  whom,  in  1813  and  1814,  I  transacted  many 
important  military  and  diplomatic  duties, — the  re- 
newed partiality  so  peculiarly  manifested  towards  me 
by  the  King  of  Prussia,  and  by  my  old  friends  in  his 
brave  army, — appear  to  me  the  best  proof  that  can 
remain  on  record,  that  your  flattering  nomination  had 
not  been  injudiciously  made. 

In  my  tour  in  Belgium,  Holland,  Denmark,  Sweden, 
Russia,  and  Prussia,  I  committed  such  remarks  to 
paper  as  those  countries  in  their  present  state  offered 
to  my  imagination.  They  are  written  without  ar- 
rangement, and  merely  as  notes  of  events  as  they 
happened,  of  sights  in  tlie  order  I  saw  them,  and  of 
reflections  which  they  suggested. 

To  commemorate  your  great  kindness,  and  as  a 
proof  of  the  value  I  attach  to  your  good  opinion,  I 
venture  to  dedicate  my  hastily-written  volume  to  you. 
Although  it  may  add  little  to  the  ornament  of  a 
library,  on  the  shelves  of  which  are  proudly  ranged 
a  thousand  grateful  addresses,  bearing  a  million  of 
British  signatures ;  yet.  Sir,  as  the  offering  of  a  sol- 
dier, and  (may  I  add)  a  friend,  I  hope  it  will  not  be 
entirely  without  value  in  your  book-case. 

I  remain  ever 

Your  sincerely  obliged, 

VANE  LONDONDERRY. 

Holdemesse  Houses 
August,   1838. 


\ 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Conscious  of  my  own  deficiencies  as  an  author,  I  am 
aware  tliat  it  may  be  asked,  Why  I  appear  before  the 
public  in  that  character  ? 

On  my  return  from  Spain  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
war,  and  before  the  publication  of  Colonel  Napier's 
more  elaborate  History  of  the  Peninsular  Campaigns, 
it  occurred  to  me  that  fresh  and  vivid  recollections 
of  the  scenes  I  had  been  engaged  in  might  perhaps  be 
useful  to  my  brother  soldiers,  and  not  without  interest 
to  the  public  at  large. 

With  these  views  I  gave  to  the  world  my  short 
Narrative  of  the  War  in  Spain.  I  am  unaffectedly 
sensible  of  the  manifold  imperfections  of  that  produc- 
tion ;  yet  it  so  happened,  that  even  of  the  small  share 
of  merit  which  it  might  possess,  it  was  sought  to 
deprive  me,  by  giving  the  credit  of  the  w^ork  to  an 
accomplished  and  justly  popular  writer,  who,  I  believe, 


VI 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


VII 


was  a  partaker  in  some  of  the  affairs  which  I  detailed, 
but  to  whom  my  literary  obligations  extended  no 
farther  than  to  his  kindness  in  arranging  my  letters 
into  chapters,  and  in  undertaking  the  revision  of  my 
book  while  passing  through  the  press. 

I  was  inclined,  after  this  attempt,  to  publish  a  nar- 
rative of  the  interesting  scenes  to  which  I  had  been  a 
witness  during  the  German  campaigns  of  1813  and 
1814.  On  that  occasion,  (as  well  as  on  the  present,) 
warned  by  experience,  I  took  good  care  not  to  have  re- 
course to  any  aid,  although  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  materials  of  the  second  work  were  compiled 
might  well  have  justified  me  in  seeking  it.  My  time 
during  those  campaigns  was  almost  incessantly  occu- 
pied with  the  arduous  and  complicated  duties  I  had 
to  perform ;  my  hours  of  leisure  were  few,  and  my 
privations  and  difficulties  many.  Much  precision  of 
style  could  hardly  be  expected  from  one  who  wrote 
his  despatch  of  the  battle  of  Leipsic,  having  a  stone 
for  his  table,  on  the  contested  field,  and  not  having 
leisure  to  peruse  it  (when  written)  before  it  was  sent 
away. 

But,  notwithstanding  these  and  many  other  disad- 
vantages, so  unfavourable  to  correctness  of  composi- 
tion, my  work  was  most  kindly  received ;  and  I  be- 
lieve, thai  whatever  its   faults   may  be,   the  fidelity 


and  accuracy  of  its  statements  have  never  been  im- 
pugned. 

Here  perhaps  I  ought  to  have  stopped.  But  I  have 
felt  an  irresistible  impulse  to  endeavour,  in  the  follow- 
ing pages,  to  do  justice  to  one  of  the  greatest  sove- 
reigns of  the  age,  whose  true  character  and  exalted 
merits  and  qualities  are  not  fully  known  in  that  very 
country  for  which,  next  to  his  own,  he  feels  the 
strongest  attachment  and  regard, 

I  have  added  to  my  own  recollections  of  the  Russian 
empire  translations  of  some  very  important  statistical 
documents  relating  to  it,  for  which  I  am  indebted 
to  the  friendship  of  a  most  distinguished  individual 
long  resident  there.  These  are  given  as  a  Second 
Part  of  the  work,  and  the  perusal  of  them  will  amply 
recompense  the  reader,  to  whose  indulgence  I  now 
commit  the  present  volumes. 


CONTENTS. 


I] 


l*<< 


Projected  Tour — Landing  in  France — Route  and  Road  to  Ghent 
— Vicissitudes  of  Life— Bonaparte's  Policy — King  Leopold  — 
Belgian  Railways— Antwerp — Vexatious  Treatment— The  Hague 
— The  Prince  of  Orange — Diplomatic  Dinner — Sir  E.  Disbrowe 
— Scheveling  .  .  .  ,  Page     1 


CHAPTER  II. 

Amsterdam — Streets  andDrawbridges— Palace  of  Susdyk — Royal 
Inhospitality — Untoward  Event— Osnaburgh — Bremen — Ham- 
burgh—Road to  Kiel — Danish  Steam-boat — Voyage  to  Copen- 
hagen— Madame  de  Zayas  .  .  .  ]8 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Copenhagen — The  Streets — Bombardment  of  Copenhagen — Thor- 
waldsen's  Statues — Palace  of  Christianburg — The  King's  Pic- 
tures— Audience  of  the  King — Chateau  of  Rosenberg — Prison 
of  Caroline  Matilda — Crossing  the  Sound — Entrance  of  the 
Sound  —  Travelling  in  Sweden  —  The  Roads — Fences  —  The 
Swedish  People — Cattle— Food — Inn  at  Gothenbourg     .  13 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Gothenbourg — Inn  at  Trollhiitten — Canal  to  Stockholm — Falls  of 
Trollhatten — Mr.  Lloyd— Marienstadt— Dreary  Country— Stock- 
holm—  Public  Buildings— View  of  Stockholm — Shops — Por- 
phyry— Carriages  and  Horses— The  Swedish  Army     .      .       51 


CONTENTS. 


m 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  King  of  Sweden— Conversation  with  the  King— Royal  Dinners 
— Ladies  of  the  Court— Prince  Oscar — Military  Festival — 
Prince  Oscar's  Sons— The  King's  Villa  at  Rosenberg — Royal 
Dinner — Other  Visits  to  the  King — Conversation  with  his  Ma- 
jesty—Unexpected Occurrence — Royal  Steam-yacht — Our  Fel- 
low Passengers— Departure  from  Sweden  .  .         64 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Voyage— Intricate  Navigation — Cronstadt— Its  Fortifications 
— The  Russian  Fleet — Approach  to  Petersburgh  .  80 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

The  Russian  Empire — Facility  of  visiting  it— Search  for  a  Resi- 
dence— St.  Petersburgh — Magnificent  Public  Buildings— Im- 
provements in  Petersburgh— Divisions  of  the  City— Church  of 
St.  Peter — Palace  of  Tauride — Public  Institutions — The  City 
Revenue— Theatres  and  Promenades— The  English  Club     .  88 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Russian  People  —  Governments— Wretched  Hotel— Count 
Nesselrode— Lord  Durham— Le  Palais  d'Hiver- Column  of 
Alexander— The  Inauguration— L^Hermitage— Splendid  Trea- 
sures —  Ball-Room  —  Saloon  of  the  Marechals  —  Remarkable 
Custom— Droschkas— The  Emperor's  Accident  •  102 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Imperial  Academy— Diplomatic  Dinner— Dinner  at  the  Am- 
bassador's—Palace of  PeterhofF— Imperial  Cottage— Its  Interior 
—Visit  to  Czarskoeselo — Audience  with  the  Empress— Dinner 
with  her  Majesty— Mode  of  Serving— Imperial  Ball— Unex- 
pected  Announcement— Travelling  Party  ,  122 


lln 


CONTENTS. 


XI 


CHAPTER  X. 


Empress  Catherine's  Baths — The  Arsenal  —Trophies  and  .Armour 
— Imperial  Dairy — Magnificent  Palace — Its  Interior— Recep- 
tion Rooms — Chapel — Gateluna — Posting  in  Russia — Russian 
Roads — Wagons,  Inns,  Villages— Government  Inns — Travelling 
Fare— Delicacies        .  •  .  .135 


% 


iiJ 


CHAPTER  XL 


Moscow— Seat  of  Government— Internal  Communication — Pecu- 
liarity of  Moscow — Imperial  Residences— Political  State  of 
Russia— Russian  Aggrandisement — Russian  Policy — Marmont's 
Hypothesis — The  Russian  Army — Russia  and  British  India — 
The  Emperor  Nicholas — Absurd  Calumnies — Opinions  of  the 
AbbedePradt  .  .  .  .  151 


t 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Arrival  at  Moscow— Burning  of  Moscow—Its  Reconstruction — 
Public  Institutions — Commerce — General  Tolstoy — Visit  to 
the  Kremlin — The  Palaces  —  Senate  House  and  Arsenal — 
Grand  Entertainment — Prince  Serge  Galitzen— Dinners  and 
Soirees— Cathedrals  and  Hospitals — Establishment  for  young 
Ladies — Convent  of  Troitza — Return  from  Moscow       .         179 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Return  from  Moscow — Grand  Review — Russian  Cavalry — The 
Emperor  Nicholas — Czarskoeselo — Imperial  Soiree — Etiquette 
of  Dress — Conversation  with  the  Emperor — High  Mass  .      197 


Xll 


CONTENTS. 


I 


Nl 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Emperor— Marked  Compliment— Salutation  and  Reply  — 
Royal  Dinner-— Peculiar  Arrangement— Russian  Climate — Go- 
vernment Establishments  -L'Etat  Major — Quarter  Master  Ge- 
neraFs  Department— New  Invention      .  .  .         208 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Cadet  Establishment— The  Students— Course  of  Education— The 
Dining  Room— The  Medical  Department— Noble  Cadets— Ma- 
rine Cadets — L'Ecole  de  Genie— Engineers*  Department- 
Riding  School— School  of  Artillery — Civil  Engineering— The 
Arsenals— Relics  of  Alexander — School  of  Artillery— College 
for  young  Officers         .  ,  ,  222 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Military  Fetes— Dinner  at  the  Winter  Palace— Intercourse  of 
Officers  —  The  Imperial  Family  —  The  Dinner  —  Interesting 
Spectacle— Gracious  Invitation  .  .  .241 


CHAPTER   XVIJ. 

Assembling  at  the  Palace— The  Imperial  Cortege— Procession- 
High  Mass— Kissing  Hands— Christmas  Day  — Russian  Deco- 
ration—The Emperor  and  Empress— Splendid  Spectacle Higli 

Mass— Mournful  Ceremony— Benediction  of  the  Colours  .     250 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Singular  Ceremony— The  Metropolitan -The  Procession— Bless- 
ing the  Waters  — Dangerous  Superstition  —  The  Empress's 
Rooms— Splendid  Entertainments — The  Imperial  Court Pub- 
lic Decorum— Death  of  Alexander — Heroism  of  Nicholas— His 
Military   Knowledge — His  Universal  Proficiency            .         263 


^1 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


f ! 


VOL.  I. 

Portrait  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  I. 
Portrait  of  the  Queen  of  the  Belgians 
Portrait  of  the  Crown  Princess  of  Sweden 
Plan  of  St.  Petersburch 
Plan  of  Moscow 


VOL  n. 


Portrait  of  Count  Nesselrode 
Portrait  of  the  Empress  of  Russia 


To  fdcc  Title, 

—  8 

—  G9 
-—       88 

—  150 


To  face  Title. 
—         2 


MEMOIRS 


OP 


J 


A  TOUR  IN  THE  NORTH  OF  EUROPE 


IN  1836-7. 


! 

i  J 


CHAPTER  I. 


i« 


M 


Projected  Tour — Landing  in  France — Route  and  Road  to  Ghent 
— Vicissitudes  of  Life — Bonaparte's  Policy — King  Leopold  — 
Belgian  Railways — Antwerp — Vexatious  Treatment — The  Hague 
— The  Prince  of  Orange — Diplomatic  Dinner — Sir  E.  Disbrowe 
— Scheveling. 

A  long-projected  tour  to  the  north  of  Europe  was 
finally  determined  on  in  the  beginning  of  the  month 
of  August,  1836.  Both  Conservatives  and  Whig 
Radicals  found  tlieir  attendance  at  the  House  produc- 
tive of  nothing  but  fatigue  and  dissatisfaction;  the 
former  deplored  an  unsuccessful  campaign,  the  latter 
appeared  convinced  that,  although  they  still  kept  the 
reins,  they  wanted  the  means,  both  physical  and 
moral,  of  governing  the  country ;  in  short,  all  seemed 
J  thoroughly  tired  of  their  parliamentary  labours.     Nor 


VOL.    I. 


B 


3 


I 


■I  * 


DESIRE    FOR    CHANGE. 


Hi 


![ 


was  the  gay  world  less  free  from  ennui ;  equipage  after 
equipage  had  deserted  the  fashionable  streets  and 
favourite  drives,  &c.;  the  last  balls  at  Cremorne-lodge, 
the  Regent's-park,  and  Chiswick,  announced  that  the 
curtain  had  dropped  over  the  season  of  1836.  Under 
circumstances  such  as  these  it  was,  that  the  party 
whose  tour  I  shall  now  attempt  to  describe,  anxious 
for  change  of  scene,  and  desirous  of  acquiring  new 
ideas,  by  investigating  fresh  and  distant  lands,  sailed 
for  Calais  on  the  4th  of  August. 

If  there  is  a  fatality  in  human  affairs,  there  is  also, 
a  strange  and  unaccountable  caprice  which  governs 
the  actions  of  mankind.  It  might  last  year  (1835) 
have  been  the  lot  of  some  who  engaged  in  this 
northern  tour  to  have  visited  the  capital  of  tlie  Czar, 
surrounded  with  all  those  advantages  which  high 
rank  and  position  confer,  and  yet  strange  to  say,  the 
prospect  at  the  time  offered  but  little  temptation,  and 
the  inconvenience  attending  it  would  have  been  im- 
mense. A  sense  of  duty,  however,  and  a  desire  for 
change  so  natural  under  all  circumstances  to  ardent 
minds,  might  have  had  their  influence  in  closing 
with  an  offer  conferring  such  privileges.  To  certain 
spirits,  monotony,  even  in  its  most  agreeable  form, 
that  of  sober,  intellectual,  domestic  happiness,  becomes 
insipid,  and  the  new  stimulus,  even  though  productive 
of  discomfort  and  anxiety,  is  welcomed  as  a  friend. 

The  tour  to  the  north  was  this  year  eagerly  adopt- 
ed; the  advice  of  kind  friends  was  immediately  put 
in  requisition  as  to  the  best  means,  considering  the 
lateness  of  the  season,  of  seeing  the  most  in  the  least 


LANDING    IN    FRANCE.  3 

possible  space  of  time.  Russian  princes,  Swedish 
diplomatists,  and  connoisseurs  in  travelling,  were 
severally  consulted  how  to  avoid  more  ^exposure  to 
the  sea  than  was  absolutely  necessary,  and  how  to 
gratify  curiosity  by  the  sight  of  the  greatest  number 
of  "  northern  lions."  At  length  it  was  decided  that 
the  first  position  to  be  taken  up  should  be  Rotter- 
dam, and  the  heavy  baggage,  consisting  of  carriages, 
servants,  camp-beds,  canteens,  courier,  cook,  &c., 
embarked  for  that  port  on  the  morning  of  the  3rd 
August.  Some  of  the  family  proceeded  also  by  the 
same  conveyance,  while  the  writer  and  his  companion, 
both  equally  eschewing  steam  and  sea-sickness,  ran 
down  in  a  light  britchka  to  Dover,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing day  sailing  for  Calais,  reached  Dunkirk,  where 
they  slept  the  same  evening. 

So  many  of  our  countrymen  have  seen  Calais  since 
the  peace  of  Paris  and  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  that 
it  would  be  as  absurd  to  give  any  description  of 
it,  as  to  paint  the  remarkable  features  of  Margate 
or  Brighton ;  and  no  Englishman  can  land  at 
Calais,  without  experiencing  renewed  surprise  at 
the  gruff  tone  of  the  French  sailors,  the  garrulity 
of  the  motley  coloured  fisherwomen,  the  insolence 
of  the  police-officers  and  douaniers,  and  the  obse- 
quiousness of  the  commissioners  who  besiege  you 
with  numerous  packs  of  their  recommendation-cards  ; 
added  to  all  which,  there  is  in  every  look  and  ges- 
ture of  the  inhabitants,  as  well  as  in  every  form, 
fashion,  and  fabric  that  presents  itself  to  the  eye, 
something  so  indescribably  different  from  all  we  see  in 

B  2 


OUR    ROUTE. 


r 

I 


our  own  country,  that  every  one  on  landing  in  France, 
however  frequently,  experiences  a  pleasing  sensa- 
tion, and  the  spirit  becomes  buoyant  and  elastic  from 
the  cheering  aspect  of  novelty  that  appears  as  it  were 
to  greet  his  arrival.  All  who  have  travelled  much  on 
the  continent  have,  at  every  successive  visit,  been 
struck  with  the  fact,  that  the  various  countries  of  the 
European  world  (except  England)  assimilate  more  or 
less,  and  that  she  alone  is  morally,  as  well  as  geogra- 
phically, isolated  and  unique  in  all  the  minutiae  of 
existence. 

The  major  part  of  our  travelling  countrymen  and 
countrywomen  may  have  felt,  especially  the  fair  sex, 
the  extreme  mania  which  prevails  on  arriving  in  France 
to  throw  aside  everything  English,  and  spend  the  last 
of  their  notes  and  sovereigns  in  running  to  all  the 
Calais  shops  to  purchase  bonnets,  caps,  perfumery,  and, 
in  short,  everything  French.  English  maids  now  make 
a  fine  harvest,  as  all  old  things  in  wear  are  invariably 
handed  over  to  them  by  their  mistresses,  for  the  sole 
besoin  of  buying  the  new  objects  that  present  them- 
selves to  the  eye. 

The  direction  of  our  route  was  that  of  Rotterdam, 
and  w^e  were  anxious  to  visit  those  towns  which  excited 
perhaps  a  stronger  interest  when  they  belonged  to 
Austrian  Brabant,  and  were  the  theatre  of  the  Duke 
of  York's  campaign  in  Flanders,  than  they  now  do 
under  their  newly-created  sovereign,  Leopold  I. 
Ypres,  Menin,  Courtray — were  all  garrisons  well 
known  to  our  guardsmen  ;  and  the  spot  where  British 
soldiers  have  fought  and  bled  must  always  command 


ROAD    TO    GHENT. 


i 


the  warm  sympathy  of  a  Britisli  bosom.  Of  the  two 
routes  that  lead  from  Calais  to  Ghent,  it  may  be  as 
well  to  remark,  for  the  sake  of  those  who  travel  this 
way  hereafter,  that  the  coast  line  by  Furnes  Glustche 
and  Bruges  to  Ghent  is  not  always  good  and  passable 
if  the  tide  be  full  in ;  and  although,  by  not  taking  it, 
the  interesting  city  of  Bruges  is  missed,  yet  the  tra- 
veller is  compensated  by  a  view  of  the  fortresses  above 
mentioned,  and  by  the  superiority  of  the  road  from 
Dunkirk  to  Ghent.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  perfect  garden,  a 
beautiful  chauss^e,  lined  with  fine  old  lime  and  elm- 
trees  of  immense  size,  the  former  with  their  pale  leaves 
in  continual  motion,  the  latter  affording  their  effective 
and  agreeable  shade :  add  to  this  the  luxuriance  of 
all  the  crops,  the  admirable  labours  of  the  husband- 
men, the  perfection  of  the  cattle,  and  above  all,  the 
breed  of  horses  from  that  most  valuable  of  all  its 
kind,  the  Flanders  mare* 

At  Dunkirk  we  could  not  be  accommodated  at  the 
Hotel  de  Flandres,  which  is  the  first  inn  in  the  place,  but 
every  attention  was  paid  us  at  the  Hotel  du  Chapeau 
Rouge.  In  many  of  the  inns  in  Belgium,  English 
w^aiters  are  now  regularly  engaged ;  the  steam  convey- 
ances to  all  the  ports  from  Calais,  Ostend,  Dunkirk, 
Antwerp,  Rotterdam,  &c.,  and  the  swarms  of  travellers 
that  now  frequent  the  Low  Countries  and  make  the 
tour  of  the  Rhine,  have  probably  induced  the  hotel 
keepers  to  have  recourse  to  their  services.  Our  inten- 
tion was  to  go  on  the  6th  to  the  famed  city  of  Ghent, 
and  to  reach  Antwerp  in  the  evening ;  but,  on  our 
arrival  at  the  former  place  to  dinner,  we  found  there 


6 


VICISSITUDES    OF    LIFE. 


!J 


M 


would  be  a  difficulty  in  passing  the  Scheldt  after 
dark ;  so  changing  our  plan,  we  directed  our  course 
upon  Brussels,  submitting  to  the  inconvenience  of  tra- 
velling through  the  night. 

I  have  nothing  to  say  of  the  attractions  of  Ghent, 
but  I  can  say  much  more  of  Brussels,  where  we  were 
lodged  in  the  Hotel  Belle  Vue,  Place  Royale,  at  four 
o'clock  A.M.,  on  the  7th.  It  was  fifteen  years  since 
some  of  our  party  had  seen  this  capital.  The  House  of 
Orange  had,  at  the  former  period,  by  a  wise  arrange- 
ment of  the  great  European  alliance,  received  a  terri- 
tory which  was  to  be  a  barrier  against  France  on 
the  one  side,  and  against  Germany  on  the  other.  A 
line  of  the  most  prominent  fortresses  had  been  placed 
in  the  best  order,  under  the  inspection  of  the  Duke 
of  Wellington,  to  render  this  new  kingdom  inde- 
pendent ;  France  had  been  made  by  the  allies  to  pay 
a  great  part  of  the  sums  necessary  for  this  purpose. 
England  had  just  grounds  to  be  proud  of  the  part  she 
took  in  the  accomplishment  of  these  acts, — they  were 
based  on  treaties,  the  departure  from  which  Europe 
may  long,  in  times  to  come,  have  cause  to  rue.  In- 
stead, however,  of  that  royal  palace  which  was  built 
by  the  gratitude  of  the  country  for  that  young 
prince  who  gloriously  fought  and  bled  at  the  battle 
of  Waterloo,  being  inhabited  by  him,  his  royal  and 
imperial  wife,  and  interesting  family,  it  is  now  ex- 
posed to  the  vulgar  gaze  and  curiosity  of  every  pass- 
ing traveller  for  the  payment  of  a  few  francs.  And  to 
show  the  vicissitudes  of  human  life,  it  may  not  be 
amiss  here  to  quote  the  remark  of  one  of  our  party, 


4 


BONAPARTE  S    POLICY. 


an  officer  of  rank,  who  had  served  in  all  the  cam- 
paigns of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  and  was  at  Paris 
in  1814  and  1815. 

"  I  was  often  with  Leopold  at  Paris  when  he  was  in 
the  Russian  service,  and  it  has  happened  not  unfre- 
quently,  that  at  the  charming  petits  soupers  so  often 
given  after  the  theatre  to  English  ladies  at  Tortoni's  or 
other  restaurateurs,  we  exchanged  the  greatest  marks 
of  personal  and  intimate  friendship.  The  next  time  I 
saw  him  was  as  the  husband  of  the  Princess  Charlotte. 
I  now  contemplate  him  as  a  king,  filling  the  throne 
of  that  prince  whose  promised,  nay,  almost  affianced 
wife,  Leopold  had  the  good  fortune  to  withdraw: 
and  lastly,  from  being  the  man  whom  England  most 
looked  up  to  when  he  was  the  husband  of  her  future 
queen,  he  has  become  the  individual  France  protects, 
because  he  is  the  husband  of  the  daughter  of  Louis 
Pliilippe." 

It  was  always  Bonaparte's  policy  that,  on  this  side 
of  her  frontier,  France  should  be  bounded  by  the  ocean 
and  the  Rhine.  Against  this  inordinate  ambition  the 
great  alliance  of  Europe  fought,  and  fought  success- 
fully. How  strange  does  it  appear,  then,  that  Eng- 
land, in  later  years,  should  aid  in  the  establishment 
of  a  kingdom,  which  can  never  be  anything  but  a  pro- 
vince of  France,  for,  in  fact,  Belgium  is  and  must  be 
French.  More  strange  is  it,  to  those  who  were 
mixed  up  in  the  transactions  of  1814  and  1815, 
that  Russia,  Prussia,  and  Austria  could  have  given 
their  adhesion  to  this  arrangement,  more  fatal  to 
European  interests,  because  it  is  likely,  from  the 
connexion  of  Leopold  with  the  thrones  of  France  and 


V) 


!  If 


8 


KING    LEOPOLD. 


Mi 


m^ 


England,  to  become  durable ;  and  yet  tlie  House  of 
Orange  will  never  cease  to  regret,  and  endeavour  to 
regain,  what  it  has  lost,  although  the  commercial 
towns  of  Amsterdam,  Rotterdam,  and  others,  may 
not  be  so  anxious  as  the  court  for  a  reunion  with 
Belgium. 

I  was  desirous  of  knowing  how  this  royal  favourite 
of  fortune  now  passed  his  time,  and  I  was  informed 
he  hved  chiefly  at  the  palace  of  Lacken.  He  had 
lately,  however,  made  an  excursion  with  the  queen  to 
Paris,  but  staying  longer  than  "  Les  braves  Beiges*' 
approved  of,  they  wrote  upon  the  palace  doors,  ''  Cettc 
Maison  a  LouerT  He  comes  into  Brussels  every 
morning,  transacts  business  till  two  o'clock,  and  re- 
turns to  the  country,  dines,  passes  the  evening  in  his 
gardens,  and  after  dark,  either  in  reading  or  in  con- 
versing with  the  queen.  He  sees  company  and  gives 
large  dinners  twice  a  week,  but  his  court  is  dull  and 
formal ;  and,  but  for  the  English  residing  at  Brussels, 
the  place  would  be  melancholy. 

An  anecdote  I  heard,  impresses  me  with  the  idea  that 
neither  the  king  nor  the  queen  of  Belgium  can 
feel  much  at  ease  in  their  new^  possessions,  or  such 
things  would  hardly  be  related.  In  the  Prince  of 
Orange's  palace,  the  boudoir  of  the  princesses,  and 
his  own  room,  were,  for  a  long  time,  shown  to  the 
gaping  multitude  just  in  the  state  they  left  it  at  the 
revolution,— the  very  gloves  the  princess  had  on,  the 
pens  she  was  writing  with,  and  the  clothes  laid  out 
for  the  prince  to  change,  &c.  Some  English  tra- 
vellers, particularly  devoted  to  the  Orange  party, 
having  unwittingly   exclaimed,    "Good  God!  every 


/'I 


:.-:?v. 


\ 

%. 


m 


;!' 


BELGIAN    RAILWAYS. 


9 


W' 


'11 


tiling  appears  ready  for  the  immediate  return  and  re- 
ception of  the  prince  and  princess,"  a  sudden  order 
was  issued  for  closing  the  apartments  to  all  visitors. 

Stately  palaces,  marble  statues,  magnificent  furni- 
ture, &c.,  can  often  be  seen,  but  the  deep  interest  in- 
spired by  the  actual  position  of  the  abode  of  royalty 
at  the  moment  of  the  soulevement  du  peuple^  and  of 
the  flight  of  the  royal  occupants,  awakens  reflections 
which  contrast  order  and  power  with  revolution  and 
anarchy  ;  enjoyment  and  possession,  with  deprivations 
and  expulsions ;  and  when  (which  is  rarely  the  case) 
such  a  picture  presents  itself  to  the  sympathising  tra- 
veller, it  is  never  forgotten. 

It  is  but  justice  to  Prince  Leopold's  government  to 
remark,  in  tliis  place,  the  very  useful  and  beautiful 
railway  that  is  just  finished  between  Brussels  and 
Antwerp  ;  it  must  be  of  advantage  both  in  a  commer- 
cial and  military  point  of  view.  The  thirty  English 
miles  can  be  travelled  in  an  hour.  The  machinery 
and  arrangements  seem  admirable  ;  all  being  under 
the  direction  of  the  military  and  police,  the  strictest 
order  and  regularity  are  preserved.  As  Antwerp  is 
now  become  the  strong  fortress  of  the  Belgian  frontier, 
the  incalculable  advantages  of  its  rapid  and  constant 
communication  with  the  capital  must  be  evident. 
These  railways  are  to  be  extended  towards  Liege  and 
the  Rhine,  and  probably,  as  they  are  likely  to  answer  so 
well,  they  will  soon  be  universal  throughout  Belgium  ; 
and  I  question  if  the  execution  of  them,  where  they 
are  entirely  constructed  under  the  direction  of  govern- 
ment, will  not  be  superior  to  those  in  England,  where 


!1 


Il'l 


10 


ANTWERP. 


m 


many  originate  with,  and  are  carried  into  effect  by, 
gambling  speculators  and  adventurers,  wliose  wild 
schemes  will  ultimately  be  productive  of  incalculable 
mischief. 

On  our  arrival  at  Antwerp  on  the  7th,  the  best  hotel, 
"  Le  Grand  Laboureur,"  was  completely  occupied  by 
the  multitudes  tlironging  from  and  to  England  by  the 
steam-packets,  which  at  this  season  are  never  empty. 
We  were  lodged  in  a  good  inn,  L'Hotel  St.  Antoine. 
The  siege  of  Antwerp,  with  all  its  concomitant  events, 
has  been  of  late  so  fully  described,  that  it  would  be 
presumptuous  to  add  to  the  ample  pages  with  which 
the  public  has  been  gratified.  Very  great  difficulty 
was  experienced  in  obtaining  permission  to  visit  the 
works  of  the  fortress.  I  am  not  desirous  of  dwelling 
on  the  uniformly  mistaken  conduct  of  Great  Britain 
towards  her  old  ally,  nor  is  it  necessary  for  any  his- 
torian, however  humble,  to  describe  the  gallant  and 
glorious  conduct  of  General  Chass6e.  The  writer  of 
these  pages  prefers  drawing  a  veil  over  the  whole  of 
this  tragical  occurrence,  so  injurious  in  his  opinion 
to  British  fame  and  honour. 

We  were  chiefly  occupied  during  our  stay  in  in- 
specting Mr.  Baily's  magnificent  shawl  repository, 
unequalled  in  Europe ;  at  which  the  fancy,  taste,  and 
extravagance  of  a  beautiful  woman's  wardrobe  may 
be  indulged  from  one  hundred  guineas  to  one  thou- 
sand and  upwards.  With  the  exception  of  this  re- 
pository, and  our  visit  to  the  cathedral,  which  boasts 
of  one  of  the  most  heavenly  pictures  in  the  world, 
Rubens'  Descent  from  the  Cross,  nothing  struck  me  as 
worth  detailing. 


m 


VEXATIOUS    TREATMENT. 


II 


I  must  now  mention  the  information  given  us  by 
the  English  waiter  at  the  hotel,  who  stated  that  it  was 
of  no  consequence  by  whom  our  passports  out  of 
Belgium  were  signed,  for  if  we  had  not  the  vise  of  a  M. 
Francois,  the  chief  of  police  at  Brussels,  we  should  be 
arrested.  The  British  envoy  at  Leopold's  court 
(whose  passport  I  had  taken  care  to  obtain)  seemed 
quite  ignorant  of  the  necessity  of  submitting  his  sig- 
nature to  this  M.  Francois,  neither  was  Leopold's 
minister  in  London  (who  had  signed  our  passport)  better 
informed,  nor  more  respectfully  treated.  But  the  ac- 
count we  accidentally  received  from  the  waiter  proved 
true,  and  we  found  we  could  not  get  out  of  Belgium 
except  by  sending  our  courier  back  to  Brussels  to  the 
said  M.  Francois.  Off  he  started:  he  arrived  on  a  Sun- 
day morning.  M.  Francois  was  absent  on  an  excursion 
of  pleasure  :  his  secretary  wrote  an  order  to  the  civil 
authority  at  West  Wezel,  the  village  at  the  frontier.  On 
our  arrival  there,  the  military  lieutenant  in  command  of 
the  out-posts  treated  this  secretary's  order  with  the  ut- 
most contempt,  and  would  not  let  us  pass  without  M. 
Francois'  own  signature  and  official  passport.  Again 
we  were  thrown  out  by  these  admirably  conducted  ar- 
rangements between  the  civil  and  military  authorities 
of  "  Les  braves  Beiges,"  and  after  enduring  consider- 
able insolence  from  this  son  of  Mars,  who  would  listen 
neither  to  reason  nor  remonstrance,  we  were  obliged 
to  send  back  our  courier  for  the  due  authority,  and  to 
remain  all  niglit  in  a  wretched  cabaret  by  the  road- 
side. Six  or  seven  persons  with  their  families  had 
been  sent  back  on  account  of  the  same  frivolous  cere- 


12 


THE    HAGUE. 


(,711 


monials,  introduced  without  due  consideration,  made 
up  of  all  sorts  of  confused  references  from  civil  to 
military,  and  military  to  civil  authorities,  and  exe- 
cuted by  new  liberals  in  office,  who,  "  dressed  in  a 
little  brief  authority,"  conceive  it  trh  brave  to  make 
their  modicum  of  power  as  inconvenient  and  oppres- 
sive as  possible.  The  same  treatment  did  not  await 
us  at  the  Dutch  advanced  posts.  We  had  written, 
previously  to  our  leaving  England,  to  the  Prince  of 
Orange,  and  the  orders  for  our  reception  and  protec- 
tion were  awaiting  us.  West  Wezel  and  Gros  Hun- 
dert  are  the  two  villages  which  mark  the  respective 
line  of  boundary  of  these  two  newly  separated  king- 
doms. Before  taking  leave  of  Prince  Leopold,  I  must 
express  my  unbounded  admiration  of  the  beautiful 
capital  of  Belgium,  and  of  her  luxurious  palaces,  her 
fertile  plains,  her  impregnable  fortresses.  But  let  him 
remember  the  battle  of  Fleurus,  and  let  him  seriously 
reflect  that  the  power  which  took  possession  of  those 
provinces  in  those  days  of  revolution,  will  consider 
them  ever  as  virtually  her  own,  and  will  seize  upon 
them  whenever  a  fit  opportunity  shall  present  itself. 

On  the  7th  we  put  up  at  the  dirty  spirit-shop  or  ale- 
house of  West  Wezel ;  miserable  accommodation  with 
still  more  wretched  fare.  The  8th,  Rotterdam.  On 
the  9th  we  arrived  at  the  Hague.  The  royal  family  were 
absent  at  Loo  and  Susdyk,  the  two  country  palaces  of 
the  king  and  Prince  of  Orange.  The  prince  himself 
was  stationed  at  Tilborg,  where  he  commanded  the 
camp  of  observation.  The  Dutch  army  being  still 
on  the  war  establishment,  the  long  pending  (juestion 


THE    PRINCE    OF    ORANGE. 


13 


with  Belgium — '^  malgre  les protocols^'' and  the  time 
that  had  elapsed— was  not  as  yet  adjusted,  and  the 
Dutch  still  submitted  to  the  extraordinary  taxes  ne- 
cessary for  keeping  their  army  on  full  pay.  The 
conduct  of  his  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of  Orange 
during  the  ten  days'  campaign  before  the  siege  of 
Antwerp,  had  revived  his  popularity  with  his  country- 
men, (which  was  before  much  on  the  decline.)  He  was 
now  in  entire  command  of  the  army,  that  had  been  in 
the  hands  of  his  younger  brother.  Prince  Frederick, 
who,  to  do  him  justice,  had  organised  it  since  the  fatal 
days  of  Brussels,  and  placed  it  in  the  best  order. 
This  prince  was  now  war  minister,  and  also 
minister  of  marine.  Nevertheless,  the  king  keeps  a 
strict  superintendence  over  the  minutest  arrangements 
himself,  even  to  the  moving  of  a  regiment.  This 
newly-constituted  Dutch  monarchy  is  another  of  the 
creations  of  the  late  experimental  legislators  of  Eu- 
rope. It  is  difficult  to  pronounce  how  the  prosperity 
of  the  country,  or  the  duration  of  its  institutions,  will  be 
consolidated  under  its  practical  operations.  I  own  my 
hopes  were  by  no  means  sanguine  when  I  heard  that 
the  king  had  first  proposed  to  his  chambers  to  vote 
him  a  budget  for  ten  years  ;  but,  finding  a  stout  resist- 
ance, he  yielded,  and  began  to  temporise  for  three. 

This  proceeding  (as  is  always  the  case  with  truck- 
ling) produced  increased  arrogance  on  the  side  of  the 
refractory  spirits,  and  the  dispute  ended  in  tlie  king 
being  obliged  to  content  himself,  in  1836,  with  an 
annual  budget.  In  tlie  new  framing  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  Holland,  the  project  of  law  emanates  fi-om  the 


M 


rJi  t\ 


14 


DIPLOMATIC    DINNER. 


W      (, 


crown,  the  chambers  vote  it  in  sections,  before  it  goes 
to  the  peers,  and  in  fact  the  decision  upon  the  act  by 
the  sections  is  known  before  it  is  even  discussed  in  the 
Lower  House.  The  working  spirit  in  the  constitution 
is  decidedly  liberal,  and  the  power  of  the  crown  is 
diminishing  yearly. 

In  conversing  with  various  persons  on  the  ill-fated  Bel- 
gian question,  the  general  feeling  seemed  to  be  that  it 
would  be  wise  for  the  King  of  Holland  to  yield  now,  even 
to  the  injustice  and  power  by  which  he  was  oppressed, 
and  settle  all  differences  between  Holland  and  Bel- 
gium, because  the  course  his  majesty  had  hitherto 
pursued  was  one  of  ceding  by  driblets,  which  equally 
weakened  his  own  consequence  and  the  respect  which 
Holland  ought  to  have  commanded  during  the  course 
of  the  negociations. 

Sir  E.  Disbrowe  gave  a  great  entertainment  the 
day  after  my  arrival :  the  party  consisted  chiefly  of  his 
colleagues  of  the  diplomatic  corps  with  some  strangers. 
Amongst  the  most  prominent  were  the  Count  and 
Countess  Strogonoff*;  but  as  these  distinguished  and 
noble  persons  were  on  their  way  to  Russia,  where 
they  were  afterwards  met  with,  I  will  not  here  descant 
upon  my  feelings  of  affectionate  attachment,  nor  say 
more  of  them  in  this  place.  Baron  Mortier  and  his 
wife  were  the  next  conspicuous  guests;  he  being 
a  diplomatist  of  reputation,  very  intimate  with  Talley- 
rand and  the  leading  men  at  Paris.  He  had  lately 
arrived,  and  was  just  married  to  a  very  beautiful 
woman,  next  to  whom  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  sit 
at  dinner ;  and  if  the  baron  can  make  as  good  and 


SIR    E.    DISBROWE. 


15 


efficient  use  of  his  pen,  as  his  lady  does  of  her  brilliant 
and  enchanting  eyes,  the  government  of  France  will 
have  no  lack  of  information  during  the  period  of  his 
appointment  at  the  Hague.  I  was  particularly  struck 
with  this  charming  person's  admiration  of  Lord 
Byron.  She  conversed  with  me  in  English  on  all 
his  poems,  but  dwelt  chiefly  on  the  "  Corsair"  and 
"  Childe  Harold  ;"  she  spoke  English  admirably,  and  is 
in  all  respects  a  delightful  person.  At  these  great 
diplomatic  dinners,  it  is  singular  to  remark  the  im- 
portance that  each  individual  (representing  even  a 
small  court)  attaches  to  what  he  himself  says,  or  to 
the  facts  he  mentions.  "  I  am  Sir  Oracle,"  appears 
to  be  the  impression  of  every  one,  and  they  conse- 
quently expect  all  others  to  stand  around  them  "  au- 
ribus  erectis.^' 

"  Sir  E.  Disbrowe  lived  at  an  inn  ;  he  had  not  been 
able  to  procure  a  house.  The  dinner  was  served  by 
the  head,  (as  he  told  me  ;)  and  I  must  add,  that  for 
thirty  or  forty  persons  I  never  saw  a  better  repast. 

Sir  E.  Disbrowe  came  next  day,  and  accompanied 
me  round  the  Hague  to  view  all  that  was  remarkable 
or  interesting.  I  consider  the  King  of  Holland  to 
have  shown  an  injudicious  taste,  in  allowing  the 
country  to  build  a  miserable  pavilion  for  him, 
rather  than  restore  and  beautify  the  old  Stadt- 
holder*s  Palace,  which  stands  so  peculiarly  situated, 
and  seems  every  way  so  qualified  for  a  royal  re- 
sidence;  but  here  again  the  sovereign  people  have 
had  sway.  The  old  palace  aflJbrds  chambers  for  the 
two  legislative  bodies,  and  the  commons  (as  in  Enc*-. 


16 


SCHEVELING. 


1^ 


m 


1 

I 


land)  occupy  tlie  best  and  most  commodious  apart- 
ments. Devastations  occasioned  by  two  scourges,  (not 
very  unlike  each  other,)  fire  and  revolution,  are  the 
ostensible  causes  of  these  bad  arrangements. 

The  Picture  Gallery  and  Museum  are  described 
in  the  itinerary  books  for  travellers.  In  the  latter 
there  are  collected  various  models  and  productions 
from  the  Dutch  colonies,  and  in  the  former,  with  the 
exception  of  one  of  the  largest  Paul  Potters  I  ever 
saw,  a  Murillo,  and  a  Rubens,  there  is  nothing  that 
appeared  wonderful  to  my  (possibly  ignorant)  eye. 
It  contains  also  a  great  many  Dutch  pictures,  and 
some  indifferent  modern  productions.  The  Lust 
Haus  (called  the  Wood  House)  of  the  king,  in  the 
park  adjoining  the  town,  is  only  remarkable  for 
one  room  which  is  painted  allegorically,  representing 
the  marriages  in  the  family  of  the  House  of  Orange. 

I  then  drove  to  Scheveling,  a  bathing-place  on  the 
coast,  a  few  miles  from  the  Hague,  where  Charles  II. 
embarked  on  his  return  to  England.  This  town  is 
much  resorted  to  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  more 
especially  from  Russia.  The  liouses  are  poor  and 
incommodious  ;  there  is  a  good  ordinary,  and  a  general 
room  of  assembly,  but  the  luxuries  and  amusements 
of  the  place  would  form  a  strange  contrast  to  Brighton. 
It  must,  however,  be  observed,  that  when  foreigners  go 
to  a  watering-place  for  a  "  Cure"  as  they  call  it, 
they  are  extremely  abstemious,  very  simple  in  their 
habits,  and  live  not  only  a  secluded  life,  but  one  of 
strict  regime,  far  different  from  the  scenes  that  pass, 
and  the   tables    that   are   kept,    in  those   fashionable 


I)! 


SCHEVELING. 


17 


resorts  in  England.  The  line  of  coast,  sand-hills,  and 
appearance  of  the  main  ocean  at  Scheveling  very 
much  resemble  the  entrance  of  the  Helder,  where  Sir 
Ralph  Abercromby  and  the  Duke  of  York's  expedi- 
tion landed  in  1799. 


'i 


VOL.    I. 


c 


1 1 


18 


AMSTEUDAM. 


CHAPTER  II. 


« 


Amsterdam — Streets  and  Drawbridges— Palace  of  Susdyk — Royal 
Inhospitality— Untoward  Event —Osnaburgh — Bremen— Ham- 
burgh—Road  to  Kiel — Danish  Steam-boat — Voyage  to  Copen- 
hagen— Madame  de  Zayas. 

On  the  12tli  I  entered  Amsterdam.     Forcibly  as  I 
was  struck  with  Rotterdam,  I  own  the  appearance  of 
this  most  curious  capital  of  Holland  amazed  me  as 
much  as  any  place  I  had  ever  witnessed.     It  is  not 
alone  the  impressions  produced  by  the  peculiar  nature 
of  the  country,  enclosed  and  intersected  by  embank- 
ments which,  if  broken  through  or  destroyed,  would 
level  everything  in  one  chaos  of  deluge  and  ruin ;  it  is 
not  the  dikes,  canals,  drawbridges,  windmills,  that  ap- 
pear on  all  sides,  that  awaken  your  attention  ;  but  it  is 
the  mass  of  industry,  wealth,  commerce — the  movement 
of  the  multitude  in  sedate  and  solemn  step,  all  eagerly 
ruminating  and  absorbed  in  the  single  object  of  secur- 
ing profit.     In  no   part  of  the  world  is  this  charac- 
teristic of  a  people  so  determinately  stamped  as  in 
the  city  of  Amsterdam. 

The  Amster,  from  which  the  name  of  the  city  is 
derived,  affords  basins   and  numerous  docks  for  all 


III  I  ;i 

n  i  '  ) 

If  I 

,^1 


STREETS    AND    DRAWBRIDGES. 


1.9 


the  shipping  trading  to  the  Dutch  colonies,  and  to 
the  cities   on    the    Rhine.     A    forest  of  ships,  of  all 
sizes  and  dimensions,  fills  up  the  vast  embouchure  of 
one  of  the  finest  of  rivers.     The  variegated  prows  of 
the   Dutch   vessels   contrast  strangely  with  the  new 
steam-boats  arriving   from  all  parts  of  Europe.     The 
extreme   niceness  of  the   streets,  the  painted  doors, 
windows,  (and  even  many  of  the  houses  themselves,) 
the   trees  which  line  the   canals,    all  with   coloured 
palings  of  wood  around  them,  and  lastly,  the  motley 
dresses   of  the  inhabitants,   especially   of  the   Dutch 
sailors  clothed  in  scarlet  jackets  and  blue  coarse  trou- 
sers, aflford  a  coup  (Toeil  of  variety  entirely  unique. 

The  morning  of  the  13th  was  occupied  in  driving 
round  the  town,  making  purchases,  and  in  visiting 
the  palace  founded  by  Louis  Bonaparte. 

The  building,  originally  a  great  town-hall,  is  trans- 
formed into  a  most  agreeable  dwelling.  One  splendid 
apartment,  a  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long,  sixty  feet 
high,  and  sixty  wide,  lined  with  carved  marble,  is  the 
best  proportioned  and  most  liveable  room  imaginable. 
The  furniture  is  entirely  modern  and  handsome,  and 
it  would  appear  to  be  the  only  really  royal  residence 
the  King  of  Holland  now  possesses.  He  had  been  re- 
siding three  montlis  in  this  city  in  the  spring. 

To  describe  one  principal  street  of  Amsterdam 
is  to  describe  all.  The  Dutch  have  contrived  a 
canal  in  the  middle  of  each,  a  broad  road  on  each 
side  of  the  canal,  and,  at  intervals,  drawbridges, 
which  keep  up  tlie  communication  between  each  side 
of   the  street.     Rows  of  trees    line  the   canals,  nor 

c  2 


if  ^ 


f' 


20 


PALACE    OF    SUSDYK. 


fl; 


i 


are  the  drawbridges  any   impediment  to  tlie  vessels 
passing  up  and  down,  as  by  a  simple  process  each 
drawbridge   is  raised   up  and  again    lowered.     This 
is,  however,    occasionally  inconvenient,    as  it  arrests 
carriages  and   passengers,    precedence  being   always 
given  to    the    shipping.      As  the  large    streets    are 
wide,  the  lateral  communications  are  narrow,    with- 
out trees  or  trottoirs.     In  the  main  streets  there  is  a 
small  but  excellent  stone  flagging,  and  before  all  the 
doors  are  green  benches  or  seats,  where  the  Dutch  sit 
at  their  ease,  smoke,  and  enjoy  themselves  in  the  even- 
ing, after  the  labours  of  the  day.     The  goods  in  all 
the  shops  appeared  particularly  dear,  and  throughout 
Holland  the  charge  for   lodgings  and  eatables  was 
beyond  measure  exorbitant.     I  apprehend  Rotterdam 
and  Amsterdam  are  two  of  the  most   unreasonable 
cities  in  their  charges  in  Europe.     Indeed  the   Dutch 
seem  to  think  that  you  should  pay  them  for  tlie  air 
you   breathe  in  their  country,  and  for  being  on  dry 
land,  which,  without  their  dikes,  would  not  be  tlie 

case. 

Mr.  Melville  was  the  English  consul  at  this  place  ; 
he  seemed  a  merchant  of  eminence ;  his  bureau  ap- 
peared like  a  large  counting-house ;  he  was  good 
enough  to  undertake  the  task  of  embarking  our  heavy 
baggage,  &c.,  and  servants,  for  Hamburgh.  At  Rot- 
terdam I  should  particularise  the  singular  attention  I 
received  from  Sir  Alexander  Ferrier,  our  most  efficient 
and  invaluable  English  consul. 

Having  had  enough  of  Amsterdam,  we  determined, 
as  our  carriages  were  now  light,  and  our  heavy  eu- 


llOYAL    INIIOSPITALITY. 


21 


cumbrance  got  rid  of,  to  reach  Appelthorn,  an  inn 
close  to  the  palace  of  Loo,  where  the  king  was  I'esid- 
iijg.  The  road  leading  to  Loo  passes  close  by  Susdyk, 
the  country  palace  of  the  Prince  and  Princess  of 
Orange.  We  knew  the  former  was  in  camp  at  Telborg, 
but  we  heard  that  the  princess,  with  her  family,  was 
at  this  residence.  On  stopping  to  bait  at  the  half-way 
station,  we  asked  if  strangers  were  allowed  to  see  the 
gardens  and  house,  and  were  informed  they  were,  in 
the  absence  of  the  family,  and  also  frequently  during 
their  residence,  when  they  sent  up  their  names.  The 
day  was  broiling  hot,  but  the  obstinate  Dutch  posti- 
lions would  not  move  an  inch  out  of  their  road ;  so, 
while  they  were  regaling  their  horses  with  the  blackest 
of  bread,  the  bonpour  JVichole,  our  party  trudged  back 
to  the  gates  of  the  palace,  and  very  humbly  sent  up 
our  names,  with  a  request  that  we  might  be  permitted 
to  see  it.  The  courier,  who  took  up  the  message, 
was  absent  full  half  an  hour,  while  we  were  patiently 
waiting  in  the  dust,  and  scorching  in  the  sun.  This 
proves  there  was  a  cabinet  consultation  on  the  deci- 
sion to  be  taken,  which  turned  out  to  be  unfavourable 
to  our  wishes,  as  we  were  dismissed  without  even  a 
civil  message,  further  than  that  the  chamberlain  was 
not  in  the  way,  and  we  could  not  see  the  mansion. 

Now  when  the  extreme  civility  of  all  England,  so 
recently  paid  to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  is  remembered, 
this  want  of  common  courtesy  in  the  princess  may  be 
a  subject  of  wonder. 

Returning  to  our  carriages  with  that  feeling  which 
this  species  of  inhospitality  inspires,  1  determined  to 


I 


i  1 


I 


22 


UNTOWARD    EVENT. 


take  no  further  steps  at  the  Palace  of  Loo,  either  to 
see  the  king,  the  royal  family,  or  their  abode. 

Here  I  take  leave  of  the  Orange  family,  with  an  ex- 
pression of  disappointment  that  any  member  of  it  should 
appear  indifferent  to  those  who  have  always  highly 
honoured  and  respected  them.  The  kind-hearted  good- 
humour  of  the  heir-apparent  compensates  little  for  the 
want  of  ordinary  courtesy  that  seems  to  pervade  the 
court  system.  No  doubt,  attentions  which  cost  some 
trouble,  and  put  great  people  out  of  their  way,  are  a 
gene  and  a  bore,  while  smiles,  nods,  and  shakings  of 
the  hand  are  easily  at  command,  and  are  to  many, 
coming  from  a  prince,  very  acceptable.  But  those 
who  fill  thrones  and  high  situations  may  be  assured 
that  inattention  to  civilities  which  are  naturally  ex- 
pected by  travellers,  engenders  a  dissatisfaction  which 
breaks  out  into  abuse  against  the  persons  for  whom 
the  most  favourable  prepossessions  had  been  previ- 
ously entertained,  and  would  willingly  be  preserved. 

The  14th,  at  night,  we  entered  Lingen,  and  here 
the  first  untoward  event  in  our  journey  befel  us.  The 
Dutch  chaussee,  which  had  hitherto  been  remarkably 
good,  (the  roads  being  narrow  and  paved  with  brick,) 
ended,  a  short  way  from  Nordorn,  the  post  station  be- 
fore Lingen.  Our  chariot  had  three  horses,  and  a 
light  britchka  a  pair.  The  chariot  preceded,  (from 
some  accidental  delay,)  but  the  britchka  arrived  at 
the  spot  where  the  klaher  chaussee  finished,  when  the 
night  had  set  in  very  dark,  after  some  tremendously 
heavy  rain.  Two  very  bad  post-horses  in  vain  at- 
tempted   to  draw    up    the  carriage   from  deep    sand 


» 


OSNABUIIGH. 


23 


upon  some  hard  pavement  that  soon  presents  itself  on 
the  Hanoverian  side.  Effort  after  effort  was  made. 
Inside  and  outside  passengers  descended  in  order  to 
lighten  it,  and  those  who  were  equal  to  it  put  their 
shoulders  to  the  wheel.  All  exertions  were  fruitless. 
The  storm  raged  furiously,  the  skies  glared  with 
lightning,  and  awful  peals  of  thunder  burst  upon 
our  ears.  What  was  to  be  done  in  this  emergency  ? 
The  sending  back  servants  for  horses  and  assistants, 
and  remaining  in  the  midst  of  a  desert  heath  for  a 
couple  of  hours,  was  a  bad  alternative,  and  yet  it  was 
the  only  one.  The  courier  was  at  length  despatched 
for  more  horses,  and,  after  waiting  the  necessary  time, 
the  aid  arrived,  and  the  britchka  reached  Lingen 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Harassed  and  worn 
out,  the  party  had  nothing  exhilarating  to  revive  their 
spirits  when  they  got  to  the  inn,  than  which  a  more 
execrable  one  cannot  exist,  with  a  landlord  as  surly 
and  insolent  as  his  lodging  and  board  were  detestable. 
Bad  supper  and  worse  beds,  great  abuse  and  reviling 
on  all  sides  occurred,  and  we  were  delighted  at  get- 
ting aw^ay  early,  and  proceeding  to  Osnaburgh,  which 
we  reached  the  next  day.  This  is  an  agreeable  town, 
interesting  to  English  travellers,  as  giving  a  title  to 
one  of  our  royal  family,  and  still  more  so  from  the 
important  transactions  of  former  times  which  have 
taken  place  there.  The  accommodation  was  very  fair, 
and  the  charges  more  reasonable  than  in  Holland. 

The  postmasters  in  this  country  are  very  rigid  in 
forcing  you  to  take  the  same  number  of  horses  to  each 
carriage  as  it  contains  persons,  as  prescribed  by  their 


1 1 


"] 


f  /" 


24 


BUEMEN. 


.'I 


rules :  they  allow  the  traveller  no  will  of  his  own. 
They  attached  their  four  and  three  to  our  two  car- 
riages which  had  arrived,  and  had  been  carried  through 
Holland  with  an  humble  three  and  two,  and  no 
remonstrances  were  of  anv  avail.  An  additional  horse 
was  also  tacked  on  to  the  courier  which  proceeded 
to  order  horses  ;  and  it  may  be  observed,  throughout 
both  these  states,  that  couriers  are  sent,  not  as  in 
France  upon  ponies,  nor  as  in  Germany  with  an  esta- 
fette  on  horseback,  but  they  are  forwarded  in  little 
cars  or  small  wagons,  or  what  are  called  char-a-bancs^ 
so  that,  in  fact,  the  dress  boots  and  saddle  of  a  courier 
become  additional  heavy  baggage  for  the  vehicle  he 
is  condemned  to  roll  in. 

It  will  be  seen,  by  reference  to  the  map,  that  the 
road  by  Osnaburgh  to  Bremen  is  not  so  direct  as  from 
Lingen  to  Schloppenburg  and  Wildeshausen,  but  this 
latter  is  very  sandy,  and  should  be  carefully  avoided ; 
and  I  really  believe,  from  the  pains  that  were  taken  to 
obtain  information,  the  line  of  route  we  adopted  in 
our  tour  will,  in  every  respect,  be  found  the  most 
judicious. 

From  Osnaburgh  we  reached  Bremen  to  sleep,  a 
city  of  considerable  population  and  trade.  By  the 
late  Vienna  Congress  it  was  established  as  a  free 
town,  and  it  enjoys  much  commerce  and  many  ad- 
vantages. The  ramparts  are  turned  into  picturesque 
walks;  the  inns  and  caf(6s  are  large.  Great  bustle 
and  movement  are  apparent  in  all  quarters,  but  as 
our  stay  was  confined  to  a  few  hours,  I  cannot  pretend 
to  enter  into  any  account  of  the  place. 


HAMBURGH. 


25 


'1 


On  the  17th  we  arrived  at  Hamburgh.  The  road 
ft*om  Bremen  to  this  interesting  city  is  a  fine  chaussee. 
On  leaving  the  environs  of  the  former,  the  Hanove- 
rian territory  is  again  entered.  Vain  would  be  any 
attempt  to  describe  its  poverty  :  the  long,  dreary,  sandy 
hillocks,  the  endless  morasses,  the  impoverished  farm- 
houses, the  lean,  half-starved,  and  seemingly  half- 
begotten  cattle,  the  ill-shapen  wagon-teams,  drawn  by 
worse  shapen  oxen,  with  the  inexplicable  noise  of  the 
wheels  on  wooden  axles.  However,  with  all  these  na- 
tural drawbacks,  there  is  a  persevering  placidity  and 
honest  morality  of  disposition  about  the  Hanoverians 
that  render  them  far  more  agreeable  than  the  crafty, 
acute  Dutch ;  and  one  feels,  in  all  intercourse  with  the 
former,  a  degree  of  confidence  and  reliance  which  I 
confess  is  entirely  absent  in  dealings  with  the  latter. 

Haarburgh  is  separated  by  a  branch  of  the  Elbe 
from  the  city  of  Hamburgh.  A  fine  steam-boat 
carries  on  all  the  daily  communication  between 
the  states  of  Hanover  and  the  free  city,  and  the  pas- 
sage is  about  an  hour.  The  approach  to  Hamburgh 
is  grand  and  imposing.  The  town  forms  a  species 
of  amphitheatre,  and  it  is  rendered  infinitely  more 
striking  by  its  close  vicinity  to  Altona,  a  large  town 
in  Holstein,  belonging  to  the  Danes;  indeed  there 
seems  no  separation  between  the  two  cities.  There 
are  five  magnificent  and  lofty  church-spires  in  Ham- 
burgh, which  have  the  most  commanding  appearance 
from  the  sea ;  viz.  St.  Peter's,  St.  Nicholas's,  St.  Cathe- 
rine's, St.  James's,  and  St.  Michaers.  The  forest  of 
shipping  that  lines  the  quays — the  enormous  extent  of 


% 


i.i 


26 


HAMBURGH. 


i^ 


warehouses — the  multifarious  receptacles  of  commerce, 
and  the  vast  resources  that  are  congregated  in  this 
little  emporium,  are  marvellous.  The  town  has 
been  recently,  in  a  great  degree,  rebuilt ;  old  houses 
pulled  down,  and  modern  structures  (upon  the  Paris 
model)  erected  in  their  place.  I  know  not  if  this 
mixture  of  style  be,  at  present,  advantageous;  it  is 
like  a  battalion  half  clothed  in  old  uniforms,  and  the 
remainder  in  white  foraging  dress  ;  but  it  proves  that 
wealth  is  widely  diffusing  itself,  and  that  since  the 
general  peace  there  appear  to  be  no  bounds  to  the 
strides  of  enterprise  and  speculation.  The  trade  is 
great,  the  shops  innumerable ;  the  new  part  of  the 
town  is  built  round  a  basin  of  the  Bremen  Alstcr, 
(the  second  great  river  that  surrounds  Hamburgh,) 
and  the  chief  promenades  are  called  the  Old  and 
New  Langenfierter.  The  fortifications  and  ramparts 
have  been  entirely  levelled,  and  replaced  by  pro- 
menades, whence  the  eye  rests  upon  prospects  at 
once  rich  and  extensive.  In  the  walks,  restaurateurs 
in  pavilions  have  established  themselves.  The  largest 
was  till  lately  open  to  all  descriptions  of  persons,  but 
the  magnates  quarrelled  with  the  Jews,  and  expelled 
them  by  force  from  the  building,  since  which  time 
this  place  of  rendezvous  can  only  be  entered  with 
tickets  of  admission. 

Hamburgh  is  as  high,  or  even  higher,  in  its  charges 
for  living  and  articles  of  luxury  and  utility,  than  Hol- 
land or  any  other  country.  The  reason  for  this  cannot 
be  well  ascertained. 

The  town  is  governed  by  a  senate  or  town-council  of 


HAMBURGH. 


27 


eleven  aldermen  and  three  mayors  ;  these  have  an 
unlimited  authority  in  the  imposition  of  taxes,  the 
framing  of  commercial  laws,  and  the  regulation  of  the 
police.  The  city  furnishes  a  small  number  of  troops, 
infantry  and  cavalry,  as  its  contingent  to  the  German 
Confederation.  The  population  of  the  town  is  esti- 
mated at  240,000  inhabitants. 

Mr.  Canning  is  the  British  consul.  The  ap- 
pointment was  given  to  him  by  his  great  relative 
(when  secretary  for  foreign  affairs.)  In  the  cast 
of  his  countenance  he  resembles  him  extremely.  He 
was  obliging  and  civil.  I  met  at  this  place  an  old 
brother-soldier,  one  of  my  earliest  and  most  excel- 
lent friends,  (Colonel  During,)  who  was,  as  he  ever 
has  been,  of  the  greatest  use  to  me.  After  long 
service  in  the  war  in  Spain,  he  was  appointed  Bri- 
tish consul  at  Trieste,  from  whence  he  had  retired 
on  half-pay,  and  is  now  living  at  Stade,  respected  and 
beloved  by  all  who  know  him. 

Our  stay  at  Hamburgh  was  prolonged  three  or  four 
days,  to  allow  us  repose  from  the  fatigues  of  the  land 
journey.  Great  doubts  now  arose  whether  it  would 
be  advisable  to  go  direct  in  the  steam-boat  by  Lubeck 
to  St.  Petersburgh,  (a  voyage  performed  in  only  four 
days  and  nights,)  or  travel  through  Denmark  and 
Sweden. 

The  horror  of  a  long  passage  presented  itself  on 
one  side,  and  the  inconvenience  of  a  very  bad  land 
journey  on  the  other.  At  length  the  latter  was  deter- 
mined on,  with  the  precaution  of  sending  the  heavy 
carriage  and  all  the  baggage  by  sea  to  Russia. 


'\i 


■SI' 
li 


! 


I 
m 


» 


28 


UOAD    TO    KIEL. 


On  the  19th  we  left  Hamburgh  for  Kiel  to  embark  in 
the  steam-boat  for  Copenhagen.  The  road  through 
Holstein  to  Kiel  is  incomparably  good,  and  the  system 
of  Macadamizing  in  full  oj)eration.  The  mile  and 
finger  posts  are  regular  and  universal,  and  the  post 
seems  well  organised,  a  written  certificate  being  de- 
manded and  given  to  every  postilion  of  the  manner 
in  which  you  have  been  driven,  whetlier  you  have 
any  complaints,  &c.  Here  again  we  met  the  red 
coats  or  jackets  with  yellow  facings  of  the  drivers,  tlie 
national  colour  being  scarlet,  as  in  Hanover.  All 
who  have  travelled  on  the  continent  know  that  the 
postilions  in  each  state  have  their  particular  uniform, 
witli  their  horns,  which  answer  the  same  purpose 
as  the  cracking  whips  of  the  French  postilions  in 
France,  viz.  to  annovmce  arrival,  or  to  warn  other 
travellers  of  their  approach  on  the  road. 

A  remarkably  clean  upper  story,  with  a  dirty  lower 
apartment  and  a  detestable  Danish  dinner,  ushereil 
in  our  welcome  to  Kiel ;  and  it  was  now  debated  if  the 
land  passage  by  Schleswick  and  the  two  Belts  to 
Copenhagen  would  not  afford  more  comfort  than  the 
long  steam  navigation.  Acting  from  advice,  we 
finally  decided  upon  embarking  in  the  Danish  steam- 
boat (Frederick  the  Sixth)  for  Copenhagen.  The 
boat  was  good  and  commodious ;  the  passengers  un- 
fortunately far  too  numerous  either  for  their  own  or 
our  comfoit.  We  liad  one  hundred  and  twenty  Uts 
de  maitres  on  board.  Two  small  after-cabins  may 
be  had  in  this  ship,  (which  are  not  bad,)  but  the 
misery    and    disgusting     appearance   of   the    general 


DANISH    STEAM-BOAT. 


29 


cabin  (or,  as  I  should  fairly  denominate  it,  a  stew- 
liole)  for  ladies  on  the   one  side  and  gentlemen  on 
the  other,    no    language    can  describe ;  —  and   what 
is    worse    than  all,   no   place    could    be    found    on 
board    as   a    refuge  from   the   smoke    of  cigars  and 
pipes.      Dinner  for  all  the  passengers   is   laid    pro- 
miscuously under  an    awning  or  sail  if  the  weather 
be    fine,    and  those  whose  olfactory  nerves  are  too 
delicate  to   bear  the  stinking   cabin,    and    who  seek 
the    deck  for   fresh  air,  have    their   nascent   nausea 
increased  by  witnessing  the  ravenous  appetite    witli 
which   strangers   from   all    countries,    men,    women, 
and  children,  devour  the  worst-looking  fare  dressed 
with    oil,    onions,    grease,    and   everything  that    the 
usual  appetite  of  an  Englishman  would  reject.     The 
vessel  is  a  good  sea-boat,  well  manned,  the  captain  an 
able  officer,  and  the  passage  is  so  accurately  known, 
and  so  well  laid  down  between  the  Danish  islands  to 
Copenhagen,  that  there  is  no  risk  in  a  steam-boat,  and 
little  or  no  sea,  the  course  being  (except  for  about 
thirty  miles)  under  the  shelter  of  islands.     During  the 
whole  transit  we  were  fortunate  in  having  a  beautiful 
still  evening  and  night,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
20th  we  ran  along  under  a  brisk  breeze  to  Zealand, 
passing  in  succession    various   picturesque  and  diver- 
sified islands,  some  with  woods  hanging  down  to  the 
sea,  and  some  with  high  chalky  cliffs,  like  our  own 
dear  English  shore. 

It  was  impossible  not  to  admire  the  scenery,  while 
different  small  cutters  came  off  from  the  various  little 
dependencies,  and  either  received  passengers  from  the 


i».' 


Kfl 


'1 


A' 


U 


!» 

) 


% 


I.  r'- 


il 


\ 


% 


30 


MADAME    DE    ZAYAS. 


steam-boat,  or  brought  tliem  on  board  to  proceed  to 
Copenhagen.  The  only  passengers  of  note  with  us  were 
M.  de  Zayas  and  his  wife  (a  sister  of  the  present  Lord 
Ranelagh.)  This  gentleman  had  been  appointed  charge 
d'affaires  from  the  Queen  of  Spain's  government  to 
Denmark.  He  was  proceeding  to  his  post,  but  seemed 
entirely  uncertain  how  long  he  might  remain  in  his  new 
situation,  as  the  accounts  had  just  arrived  of  the  pro- 
claiming of  the  constitution  of  1812  in  the  principal 
Spanish  provinces.  M.  de  Zayas  conversed  very 
reasonably  and  sensibly  as  to  Spain  ;  he  tacitly  la- 
mented the  part  England  had  taken,  conceiving  that 
a  nobler  part  would  have  been  to  have  joined  the  allied 
powers  of  the  continent,  and  to  have  endeavoured  to 
put  an  end  to  the  civil  war  by  attempting  negociations, 
rather  than  engage  in  the  desultory  strife  the  British 
legion  was  encouraging.  Madame  de  Zayas  appeared 
an  interesting  person,  but  much  harassed  by  the 
state  of  affairs  at  Madrid,  and  still  more  so  by  the 
seeming  uncertainty  of  her  position  at  her  new  destina- 
tion. 


COPENHAGEN. 


31 


CHAPTER  III. 


'I 


Copenhagen — The  Streets— Bombardment  of  Copenhagen — Tlior- 
waldsen's  Statues— Palace  of  Christianburg— The  King's  Pic- 
tures— Audience  of  the  King — Chateau  of  Rosenberg — Prison 
of  Caroline  Matilda— Crossing  the  Sound — Entrance  of  the 
Sound  —  Travelling  in  Sweden  —  The  Roads — Fences —  The 
Swedish  People — Cattle — Food — Inn  at  Gothenbourgh. 

On  Sunday,  the  20th,  about  4  p.m.,  we  approached 
the  three  crown  batteries  that  defend  Copenhagen,  and 
soon  afterwards  landed  on  the  quay.  Crowds  of  idle 
gazers  awaited  the  debarkation  of  the  congregated 
crew  of  the  steam-vessel ;  the  advanced  guard  of  the 
disembarkation  was  in  due  order  (the  cavalry ;)  a  fine 
race-horse  that  had  been  brought  from  England 
for  races  at  Copenhagen,  was  the  first  animal  on 
shore ;  the  heavy  baggage  of  our  carriages  and  our- 
selves brought  up  the  rear.  Our  passports  and  letters 
saved  all  examination  at  the  custom-house  ;  indeed, 
since  West  Wezel,  we  had  no  trouble  anywhere  on 
this  account. 

A  stand  of  miserable  hack  carriages,  with  squalid 
starved  horses,  stood  close  to  the  landing-place ;  the 
horses  of  two  of  these  were  unharnessed,  or  rather 
untied,  and  then  linked  again  to  our  two  carriages,  and 


! 

ii 


\\ 


V(ti 


'I 


\l 


)] 


1 


I    1 


\ 


i\ 


I 


32 


THE    STREETS. 


we  thus  proceeded  to  the  Hotel  du  Nord  in  the  new 
mart,  where  our  apartments  had  been  taken.  The 
sensation  I  experienced  in  first  passing  through  the 
silent,  unfrequented,  and  grass-grown  streets  of  the 
capital  of  the  Danes,  was  anything  but  satisfactory. 
It  was  Sunday,  which  may  possibly  account  in  some 
measure  for  its  solemn  dulness.  The  striking  want 
of  all  appearance  of  comfort,  convenience,  or  beauty, 
in  the  style  and  architecture  of  the  houses,  in  the 
pavement  of  the  streets,  and  in  the  lighting  of  the 
town,  cannot  fail  at  first  to  make  a  sombre  impression. 
The  principal  streets  are  wide,  and  the  large  openings 
spacious,  but  the  pavement  of  both  is  of  the  worst 
description.  To  separate  the  trottoir  for  the  foot  pas- 
sengers from  the  streets,  a  sort  of  drain,  or  gutter,  is 
formed,  which  carries  off"  the  water,  and  it  is  covered 
by  long  and  connected  pieces  of  plank,  and  upon  this 
wood  the  pedestrians  walk  who  wish  to  save  the  soles 
of  their  feet  or  shoes.  These  paths  give  the  appear- 
ance of  poverty  to  the  town.  The  houses  are  of  strange 
variety, '  many  of  brick,  others  washed  with  lime  or 
stucco ;  others,  again,  of  stone.  As  to  the  lighting, 
lamps  are  suspended,  or  put  up  at  intervals  (few  and 
far  between.)  Gas  seems  unknown,  and  generally,  on 
the  first  view,  I  should  pronounce  that  this  capital 
was  one  hundred  years  behindhand  in  modern  im- 
provement. 

A  sejour  of  a  few  days  afforded  opportunity  for 
further  investigation,  and  it  must  be  observed,  that 
as  the  king  is  absolute  and  a  declared  enemy  to  in- 
novation, it  is  not  wonderful   that  the  only  interest- 


UOMBARDMENT    OF    COPENHAGEN 


33 


ing  objects  are  the  very  ancient  records  the  capi- 
tal contains.  So  singular  and  so  wedded  to  liis  own 
ideas  is  the  present  sovereign,  Frederick  VI.,  that 
he  would  rather  retain  the  nominal  and  ephemeral 
notion  of  Denmark  being  a  naval  power,  and  keep 
together  some  half-dozen  sliips  of  the  line,  which  his 
revenues  do  not  enable  him  either  to  fit  out  or  to  man, 
than  to  have  his  kingdom  become  a  considerable 
commercial  power,  by  taking  advantage  of  its  happy 
geographical  position,  and  by  enacting  liberal  provi- 
sions for  the  encouragement  of  trade  and  speculation. 
Sweden  is  making  rapid  strides  before  Denmark  in 
this  respect.  Wliether  the  successor  of  Frederick  will 
alter  the  course  now  pursued  is  doubtful;  but,  so 
long  as  it  is  persevered  in,  it  is  clear  that  aggrandise- 
ment and  increasing  wealth  both  to  Sweden  and  to 
Hamburgh  will  be  the  consequence,  and  the  institu- 
tions of  Copenhagen  will  remain  in  their  present  an- 
tedihivian  notoriety. 

It  is  well  known  that  this  city  suffered  considerably 
when  bombarded  by  Lord  Nelson  in  1802,  but  it  was 
much  more  injured  by  the  English  army  under  Lord 
Cathcart  in  1807.  The  finest  churches  in  the  best  part 
of  the  city  were  demolished.  The  Danes  even  to  this 
day  bitterly  complain  of  this  attack ;  and  it  has  been 
argued  by  them,  that  in  time  of  peace  the  proceeding 
of  Great  Britain  was  most  unjustifiable.  But  it  is  to 
be  considered  that  the  Danish  fleet,  which  was  subse- 
quently captured  by  the  English,  was  to  have  been 
surrendered  to  France,  as  appeared  by  a  secret  treaty 
to  whicli  England  obtained  access.     This  she  made 

VOL.    I.  ij 


\ 


t .' 


I 


f 


u 


34 


THOIIWALDSRN  S    STATUES. 


j 


known  to  Denmark,  and,  with  this  knowledge  in  her 
possession,  demanded  no  more  than  the  deposit  of  the 
fleet  in  her  hands  during  the  war,  to  be  kept  in  repair 
by  her  and  delivered  up  to  Denmark  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  peace ;  but  these  conditions  were  refused.  It 
was  then  certain  that  the  Danish  fleet  would  imme- 
diately have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Napoleon,  so  that 
the  enterprise  was  not  only  wise  and  politic,  but 
essential  to  all  the  great  interests  for  which  tlie 
European  alliance  was  then  contending. 

In  order  to  have  the  most  accurate  idea  of  the  locale 
of  Copenhagen,  the  round  tower  must  be  ascended, 
whence  the  city  appears  in  a  perfect  panorama,  almost 
surrounded  by  tlie  sea.  From  this  point  it  puts  one 
in  mind  of  Venice.  In  looking  down  upon  it,  the 
most  prominent  feature  on  which  you  gaze  is  the 
Franens  Kirk,  rebuilt  since  the  bombardment.  In 
this  church  the  sculptor  Thorwaldsen  (a  native  of 
Denmark)  has  made  his  genius  and  patriotism  equally 
remarkable.  He  has  dedicated  his  great  talents  to 
perfect  for  this  religious  sanctuary  colossal  statues 
in  marble  of  the  twelve  apostles,  with  an  impressive 
image  of  our  Saviour  for  the  compartment  of  the 
altar.  Nothing  can  be  more  splendid  in  sculpture 
than  these  figures.     The  church  is  simple  and  plain. 

The  palaces  in  the  city  are  the  next  objects  worthy 
of  observation.  Charlottenburg,  the  ancient  abode  of 
the  sovereigns,  is  now  occupied  as  a  receptacle  for 
works  of  art ;  in  this  building  is  given  an  annual  ex- 
hibition, after  the  French  model,  (and  a  wretched  imi- 
tation it  is,)  of  the  progress  of  modern  arts  in  Den- 


PALACE    OF    CHRISTIANSBURG. 


35 


mark.  In  these  new-formed  establishments  there 
are  some  works  bought  in  Italy  by  the  present  king, 
and  some  statues  by  Thorwaldsen  that  are  good,  but  the 
rest  present  a  singular  variety  of  indift'erent  objects. 

The  Palace  of  Cliristiansburg,  built,  or  rather  re- 
built lately,  as  the  future  residence  of  the  kings  of 
Denmark,  has  a  stupendous  fa(^ade ;  the  greater  part 
of  the   edifice   is    of  old  materials;  the  magnificent 
stone  colonnade  was  originally  brought  from  Dresden  ; 
and,  taking  the  whole  as  a  building  without  extrava- 
gant ornament,  although  heavy  and  in   many  parts 
defective,  it   is   unquestionably  an  imposing  erection. 
The  apartments  both  for  the  king  and  queen  are  nu- 
merous, and  so  they   should  be,  as  I  was  informed 
there  are  between    three   and  four   hundred   persons 
attached  to  this  little  court.     It  will  indeed  always 
be  found  in  the  least  states,  that  there  exists  a  multi- 
tudinous establishment  of  humble  attendants.      The 
chapel  and  large  ball-room  are  fine.    The  greater  part 
of  the  palace  is  lined  with  marble  of  different  colours, 
and  mixed  with  scagliola,  which  is  well  executed  in 
Denmark.     The  great  staircase  and  the  large  doors 
are  worked  in  fine  mahogany.     The  principal  suite 
of  rooms  was  hastily  fitted  up  for  the  wedding  of  the 
Princess  Christiana,  the  apparent  future  queen ;  but 
the  royal  family  have  never  resided  in  them,  the  ex- 
pense of  completing  and  furnishing  being  far  too  great 
for  the  revenue.     It  thus  happens  that  the  king,  with 
a  splendid  palace,  half  finished,  is  doomed  to  live  in 
one  of  four   great  houses  which  were   built  by  rich 
individuals,  and  called  now  Amuliensberg.  The  owners 

D   2 


1 1 


I 


I 


J 


< 


3G 


THE    KING  S    PICTCRKS. 


of  these  dying,  three  of  their  houses  were  bought  by 
the  royal  family,  one  by  the  king,  another  by  Prince 
Christian,  and  the  third  by  the  princess,  the  daugh- 
ter of  his  Majesty. 

The  equestrian  statue  of  Christian  V.  and  the  great 
theatre  are  tlie  leading  features  of  the  new  Mark  or 
Royal  Square,  with  tlie  Charlottenburg  and  the  royal 
barracks.  A  great  obelisk,  erected  in  1793,  is  next 
conspicuous ;  and  lastly,  and  more  worthy  of  note,  is 
unquestionably  the  Chateau  of  Rosenberg,  wliere  all 
tfie  old  relics  and  treasures  belonging  to  Denmark  are 

deposited. 

In  the  great  palace  of  Christiansburg,  the  upper 
story  at  present  receives  the  king's  collection  of  j)ic- 
tures.  Eighteen  or  twenty  rooms  are  filled  witli 
w^orks  of  artists  of  different  schools,  each  apartment 
being  appropriated  for  the  school  of  one  particular 
master.  The  Dutch  school  largely  preponderates  ; 
there  are  six  salons  devoted  to  it,  and  here  are  some 
great  works,  and  amongst  them  some  superior  Van- 
dykes. I  also  ought  to  enumerate  Poussin's  picture 
of  Moses  by  the  burning  bush,  two  beautiful  Albanos, 
a  fine  Paul  Potter,  some  Rubenses,  the  Judgment 
of  Solomon,  and  others ;  but  altogether  it  is  not  a  fine 
collection.  The  lower  rooms  contain  the  Scandinavian 
Museum,  which  affords  a  remarkable  series  of  relics 
indicating  the  progress  and  use  of  minerals  from  the 
earhest  ages.  The  first  book  ever  printed  in  Denmark 
(in  1692)  is  here  also  exhibited. 

A  university  and  an  academy  for  the  navy  are  well 
worthy  of  inspection. 


n&^7'-_.^>is.-. 


AUDIENCE    OF    THE    KING. 


37 


I  made  the  acquaintance  here  of  Mr.  Krabbe  Cari- 
sius,  tlie  minister  foi-  foreign  affairs ;  he  succeeded  my 
friend   Count  Bernstorff  on  his  death.     Mr.  Krabbe 
Carisius  was  called  to  this  post  from  being  envoy  to 
the  court  of  Sweden.    He  appeared  full  of  intelligence, 
and  alive  to  many   of  the  disadvantages  under  which 
liis  country  laboured.    He  talked  generally  of  the  affairs 
of  Euroi)e ;  and,  on  my  asking  him  if  Radicalism  had 
as  yet  made  great  strides  among  the   Danes,   I  was 
ratlier  amused  with  his    reply—"  II  y  a  des  amateurs 
partout."     I  paid   my  respects  to  the  king,  whom    I 
iiad  not  seen  since   1814    (the  Congress  of  Vienna.) 
He  was  thinner ;    but  as  his  hair  w  as   always  milk- 
white,   I  really  saw   little  change.      We  talked  over 
many  mutual  acc^uaintances  who  had  died  since  that 
period;    we  had   a  chapitre  on  railroads,   which    his 
Majesty   seemed  to   dread,  and  greatly  to  condemn. 
He  liked  all  things  to  remain  as  they  are,  and  quite 
held  tlie  doctrine  that  "  every  man  should  do  what  he 
cliose  with  his  own."  Another  chapitre  was  on  the  recent 
loss  of  the  (pieen's  father,  and  the  great  regret  that  her 
Majesty  could  not,  from  her  mourning,  receive  those 
that  accompanied  me,  and  myself,  as  he  could  have  de- 
sired. 

Sir  Henry  Wynne  accompanied  me  to  this  au- 
dience. This  minister  has  resided  the  last  ten  years 
in  Denmark,  He  showed  every  possible  civility  to 
our  party,  and  gave  us  a  large  dinner  at  his 
country  residence.  I  met  here  M.  le  Baron  and 
Mde.  la  Baronne  de  Talleyrand,  relations  of  the 
prince.     I  had  known  them  intimately  in  1815,  when 


i    I 


■' 


i 


38 


CHATEAU    OF    llOSENBERG. 


the  baron  was  the  prefect  at  Orleans ;  he  had  been 
afterwards  named  as  minister  in  Switzerland  and 
Italy,  and  under  all  the  changes  in  France  was  still 
employed.  Such  lucky  persons  are  to  be  found  in 
our  own  foreign  office,  as  well  as  elsewhere.  Time 
must  make  great  changes,  and  I  have  no  doubt  M. 
le  Baron,  Madame,  and  myself,  all  thought  equally 
alike  on  this  subject;  however,  I  found  their  affable 
kindness  and  good-humour  was  still  in  its  pristine 
vigour.  Baron  Langenhein,  a  new  Swedish  minister, 
a  very  gentlemanlike  man,  was  also  of  the  party. 
The  absence  of  Baron  Nicolai,  the  Russian  minister, 
and  another  colleague,  I  regretted  (as  he  was  an  old 
acquaintance.)  The  rest  of  the  company  was  com- 
posed of  Sir  Henry*s  family,  with  the  addition  of  Mr. 
Fenwick,  the  consul. 

I  mentioned  the  Chateau  of  Rosenberg  as  contain- 
ing a  most  curious  collection  of  old  relics  ;  in  it  are 
cabinets,  with  all  the  valuable  presents  that  ever 
were  made  to  the  kings  of  Denmark  ;  also  large 
wardrobes,  in  which  are  placed  the  armour  and 
ancient  swords  and  daggers  of  great  warriors  and 
former  monarchs.  There  is,  besides,  a  numerous 
assortment  of  medals,  admirably  arranged,  commenc- 
ing before  the  nativity  of  Christ.  This  castle,  as  well 
as  that  of  Fredericksbourg,  to  which  I  shall  presently 
allude,  are  undergoing  a  complete  repair ;  and  I  must 
admit,  in  this  respect,  that  the  king  and  government 
are  entitled  to  credit,  for,  witli  cramped  resources, 
they  are  upliolding  the  ancient  structures,  and  embel- 
lishing, as  far  as  they  can,  their  gloomy  capital :  but 


PRISON    OF    CAROLINE    MATILDA. 


39 


it  is  inconceivable  to  me  why  a  country  possessing 
so  many  natural  advantages,  and  formerly  standing 
so  prominent  in  the  European  picture,  should  volun- 
tarily abstain  from  making  that  progress  which  Den- 
mark could  evidently  accomplish.  Although  the  loss 
of  Norway  may  have  been  grating  to  her  national  feel- 
ings, and  the  acts  of  Great  Britain  may  have  been 
poignantly  felt,  still  Denmark  must  remember  she  has 
been  compensated  by  other  possessions ;  and  Christian 
cannot  forget,  and  must  feel,  that  he  was  one  of  the 
most  devoted  of  Napoleon's  submissive  sovereigns.  If 
Great  Britain  had  not  acted  as  she  did,  the  Danish 
fleet,  in  1807,  would  undoubtedly  have  been  directed 
by  Bonaparte,  at  that  critical  period,  against  British 
interests  and  the  liberties  of  Europe,  for  which  Eng- 
land was  then  contending. 

After  staying  a  few  days  at  Copenhagen,  we  left 
it  on  the  25th  for  Elsinore  by  the  passage  across  the 
Sound  to  Helsingborg.  On  our  road  we  saw  the 
castle  of  Fredericksbourg,  remarkable  for  its  antiquity, 
and  interesting  to  Englishmen  as  having  been  the 
prison  (as  well  as  Cronenburg  castle)  of  Caroline 
Matilda,  Queen  of  Denmark,  and  sister  of  George 
III.  For  her  irregularities  she  was  confined  by  her 
husband.  Christian  VII.,  who  became  afterwards 
imbecile,  and  was  set  aside  to  make  room  for  a  re- 
gency during  tlie  minority  of  the  present  king.  The 
queen  was  afterwards  liberated  by  the  interference  of 
George  III.,  and  carried  to  Zell,  where  she  remained, 
and  died  under  the  protection  of  her  sister,  the  then 
reigning  Duchess  of  Brunswick.     There  are  features 


i 


I 


m 


t 


40 


CROSSING    THE    SOUND. 


I 


in  this  castle  of  deep  interest,  and  highly  worthy  of 
the  notice  of  travellers.  Upon  a  similar  scale  to  our 
institution  of  tlie  order  of  the  Bath  are  displayed 
the  insignia,  escutclieon,  and  paraphernalia  of  the 
Danish  order  of  the  Ek'[)hant ;  liere  is  the  chapel 
where  the  knights  are  installed — here  tlie  armorial  bear- 
ings of  living  knights  arranged  in  due  order ;  again 
below,  in  a  vaulted  room,  arc  those  of  the  knights  wlio 
are  no  more.  George  IV. 's  banner,  &,c.  was  par- 
ticularly pointed  out  to  us :  an  insincere  compli- 
ment, as  it  appeared  to  me,  at  best,  as  there  has 
not  been,  for  many  years  past,  much  sympathy  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  Denmark,  and,  imquestion- 
ably  Frederick  VI. \s  conduct  during  the  revolutionary 
war  with  France  did  not  call  for  any  complimentary 
exchange  of  cliivalric  honours  between  the  two 
crowns.  In  addition  to  the  foregoing  objects  of 
curiosity,  there  is  tlie  large  knights'  dining-room  at 
the  top  of  the  casth^ 

The  fretted  vault  of  this  hall  in  carved  and  painted 
wood,  is  unrivalled  in  its  way ;  and  I  strongly  recom- 
mend lovers  of  architecture  and  antiquity  to  visit  the 
Chateaus  of  Rosenberg  and  Fredericksbourg ;  they  are 
beyond  everything  the  most  interesting  edifices  in 
Denmark.  We  drove  by  another  palace,  called  Frie- 
densberg,  a  small  distance  from  Rosenberg;  but  it 
presented  nothing  remarkable,  and  we  arrived  at  Elsi- 
nore  in  time  to  cross  the  Sound  by  daylight. 

At  this  passage  there  are  no  steam-boats.  Whether 
the  rivalry  existing  between  the  two  countries  of  Den- 
mark and  Sweden,  and  which  is  not  likely  to  diminish 


ENTRANCE    OF    THE    SOUND. 


41 


speedily,  is  the  cause  that  the  modern  facility  of 
steam  conveyance  is  not  resorted  to,  I  know  not,  but 
for  a  lengthened  period  the  boatmen  of  Denmark  on 
the  one  side,  and  of  Sweden  on  the  other,  have  been 
extremely  jealous  of  their  particular  privileges ;  nor 
can  you  go  across  from  Denmark  in  a  Swedish  boat, 
nor  come  from  Sweden  in  a  Danish  one.  Owing  to 
this  custom,  the  passage  is  badly  attended  to,  and  dis- 
agreeable ;  altliough,  from  not  being  more  than  a  few 
miles  across,  it  is  never  dangerous.  The  road  to  Elsi- 
nore  from  Copenhagen  is  well  kept,  and,  generally 
speaking,  you  are  well  driven  in  Denmark.  Above 
Elsinore  stands  the  fortress  of  Cronenberg,  of  an 
oblong  construction.  It  appears  strong,  and  on  a 
commanding  spot  of  ground. 

I  was  disappointed  with  the  coup  (Tceil  of  this  famed 
passage  of  the  Sound,  which  connects  the  great  German 
Ocean  and  the  Cattegat  with  the  Baltic.  I  expected  a 
formidable  and  picturesque  line  of  coast,  whereas  on 
each  side  the  land  slopes  gradually  to  the  ocean.  The 
points  that  form  the  entrance  of  the  Sound  are  far  from 
prominent;  aid,  with  the  exception  of  the  striking 
feature  of  Cronenberg,  and  the  swarms  of  shipping 
that  are  usually  at  anchor  off  Elsinore,  and  give  a 
faint  idea  of  the  Baltic  trade,  there  is  nothing  remark- 
able in  the  view. 

The  mode  in  which  the  carriages  of  travellers  are 
embarked  in  these  small  sailing  vessels,  is  bad  and 
awkward.  A  crane  swings  them  round,  and  they  are 
placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  boats,  and  interfere  greatly 
in   the  management   of  the    sails.     Two   men  alone 


42 


TRAVELLING     IN    SWEDEN. 


navigate  each,  so  that  if  the  wind  were  very  high,  or 
the  passage  longer,  it  might  be  dangerous. 

On  landing  at  Helsingborg,  we  were  met  by  the 
commandant  of  the  place,  who  had  received  orders 
from  the  King  of  Sweden  to  treat  us  with  every  at- 
tention, and  to  respect  our  baggage  and  effects. 

In  addition  to  the  government  order,  we  had  letters 
from  Count  Bistrorna,  the  Swedish  minister  in  Lon- 
don, with  the  strongest  recommendation,  and  gaving 
us  the  best  information  how  to  proceed  on  a  journey 
in  a  country  less  advanced  in  travelling  accommoda- 
tion than  any  we  had  yet  entered.  The  kind  manner, 
however,  by  which  we  were  protected,  afforded  us 
much  greater  facilities  than  the  generality  of  travellers 
enjoy.  On  landing,  we  were  escorted  to  the  hotel  by 
the  military  and  civil  authorities  of  the  place.  The 
inn  in  this  town  was  remarkably  clean,  and  an  ex- 
tremely good  one — the  fat  landlord  speaking  German, 
and  having  an  empresseinent  to  serve,  that  could  not 
be  surpassed. 

There  are  no  traces  of  any  fortified  works  at  Hel- 
singborg on  the  Swedish  side  of  the  Sound.  The 
harbour  is  confined,  and  only  capable  of  holding  small 
craft :  it  put  me  in  mind  of  Ramsgate  harbour,  but  is 
greatly  inferior  to  it,  and  is  built  of  rough  material, 
with  masonry  of  a  very  inferior  description.  An 
old  round  tower  stands  on  an  eminence  above  the 
town,  which  has  very  few  decent  houses.  Mucli  lias 
been  generally  stated  of  the  extreme  cheapness  of 
j)osting  and  travelling  in  Sweden ;  this  may  be  the 
case  for  those  established  in  the  country,  but  strangers 


TRAVELLING    IN    SWEDEN. 


43 


must  prepare,  on  their  arrival  at  any  post  in  this 
country,  for  an  immediate  and  considerable  outlay. 
In  the  first  place,  the  horses  are  mere  ponies,  but,  al- 
though looking  miserable  in  condition  and  appearance, 
they  have  some  good  points  about  them ;  small  heads, 
but  generally  good  carcases  and  action.  They  are 
driven  three,  four,  or  five  abreast,  with  the  coachman 
sitting  upon  some  part  of  the  carriage.  In  Germany 
and  in  Denmark  the  postilion  rides  and  drives  two, 
three,  or  four  horses  on  end,  (as  the  case  may  be,)  but 
there  are  no  postilions  to  ride  in  Sweden,  and  you 
must  provide  yourself  with  driving  harness  and  coach- 
man, (as  well  as  horses,)  and  you  must  likewise,  if 
you  have  no  seat  to  drive  from  on  your  carriage,  have 
one  constructed  and  put  on  for  the  purpose.  Then, 
when  the  number  of  horses  is  settled,  (about 
which  there  is  always  a  great  contention  and  diflH- 
culty,)  you  are  called  upon  to  take  off  all  the  lug- 
gage and  heavy  baggage  that  is  on  your  carriage, 
and  either  to  put  it  in  a  Swedish  carriage,  which  you 
must  buy  for  the  purpose,  or  you  must  take  from  stage 
to  stage  a  peasant's  wagon,  exclusively  to  carry  the 
extra  luggage  taken  off  your  own  carriage,  which  the 
strength  of  the  little  animals  is  not  equal  to  pulling 
up  the  heavy  pitches. 

The  horses,  number  of  carriages,  and  baggage  con- 
veyances being  thus  determined,  you  commence  a 
bargain  for  coachmen  to  drive  the  whole  of  your 
journey,  having  bought  harness  for  each  set  of  horses. 

We  sent  on  the  cook  with  the  canteens  over  night, 
to  })repare  our  dinner  and  supj)er  together :  the  hired 


\-'< 


44 


•'! 


TUAVELLING    IN    SWEDEN. 


carriage  and  the  peasant's  wagon  followed  us,  with 
our  beds  and  baggage  for  the  night ;  so  that,  while  we 
were  at  dinner,  our  beds  were  prepared.  Without 
precautions  of  this  sort,  it  is  impossible  to  stop  at  the 
inns:  private  lodgings  you  can  in  some  places  pro- 
cure ;  these  are  generally  better  and  quieter  than  the 
hotels  or  post-houses.  The  bedsteads  in  all  places  arc 
so  narrow  you  can  scarce  turn  in  them,  and  you  are 
cased  up  by  sides  as  if  you  lay  in  a  box ,  but  tlie 
worst  of  all  is  the  indifference  the  people  seem  to  feel 
with  regard  to  vermin,  for,  otherwise,  it  would  surely 
be  possible  to  eradicate  them  from  the  rooms  and 
beds  in  which  they  usually  swarm. 

It  must,  however,  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  is 
very  little  travelling  on  the  roads  in  the  interior  of 
Sweden  ;  passengers  hardly  ever  sleep  at  the  inns,  as 
the  diligences  go  all  night ;  and  there  is  a  canal,  with 
steam-boats  from  Gothenbourg  to  Stockholm,  which  is 
almost  universally  made  use  of  by  the  natives.  Added 
to  this,  the  Swedes  are  neither  accustomed  to,  nor  do 
they  require,  the  luxuries  or  conveniences  that  travel- 
lers in  general  expect.  The  charges,  however,  both 
in  Sweden  and  Norway,  are  preposterous  to  English- 
men ;  and  it  is  narrated  that  when  the  Duke  of  De- 
vonshire was  at  Christiania,  they  brought  him  so  large 
a  bill,  that  it  was  referred  to  the  nuigistrate,  who 
taxing  the  innkeeper  for  his  gross  fraud,  the  man 
quietly  replied,  "  He  had  not  a  Duke  of  Devonshire 
every  day,  and  he  must  pay  accordingly."  You  have 
no  redress  against  these  impositions,  as,  in  case  of  re- 
sistance to  their  demands,  they  stop  your  hordes,  and 


TRAVELLING    IN    SWEDEN. 


45 


you  look  in  vain  for  justice.  I  must  here  acknow- 
ledge I  was  so  much  incensed  at  one  post  where  they 
attempted  to  make  fraudulent  demands,  that,  on  their 
stopping  my  horses,  I  resisted,  and  at  last  succeeded  in 
getting  off  without  a  general  disturbance,  which  I  fully 
expected.  The  extra  expenses  alluded  to  in  the  tra- 
velling outfit  (as  you  can  never  sell  your  harness  and 
carriage  again  for  anything  near  what  they  cost) 
make  the  charge  of  posting  (added  to  the  extra  horses 
and  the  paying  for  waiting,  &c.,  which,  if  you  are  not 
punctual,  they  always  demand)  amount  to  very  nearly 
the  same  expense  as  in  other  parts  of  the  European 
continent.  Then  there  are  endless  delays  arising  from 
breaking  ropes  and  splicing  traces,  and,  above  all, 
a  monstrous  time  is  lost  in  harnessing,  &c.,  at  every 
post  station.  The  exhibition  is  here  curious ;  you  see, 
before  you  come  to  the  post-house,  a  group  of  peasants, 
from  fifteen  to  twenty,  with  the  required  number  of 
horses,  in  halters,  or  held  by  their  heads.  The  ani- 
mals that  have  brought  you,  have  the  ropes  turned  off 
them.  The  moment  the  beasts  are  loose,  they  trot  off 
to  the  yard  or  field,  or  lie  down  and  roll  on  the 
ground,  thus  enjoying  themselves  and  running  at  large. 
In  the  mean  time  all  the  assembled  peasants  set 
to  work  to  get  the  new  team  ready ;  but  you  must 
not  suppose  that  your  carriages  are  loaded  when  the 
horses  are  ready  to  start;  so  far  from  it,  there  are 
yet  to  come  large  sacks  either  of  green  meat  or  chop- 
ped hay  or  straw,  which  are  forced  upon  your  vehicles 
in  the  most  inconvenient  place  ;  these  are  moreover 
obliged   to  carry,  on    some    part    or   other,   all  the 


1 1 


I  f!l 


<^x. 


46 


THE     ROADS. 


peasants  who  belong  to  the  horses,  and  wlio  accom- 
pany you  all  the  road  by  running  at  the  side,  clinging 
to  the  springs,  or  being  carried  somehow  or  other,  in 
order  to  bring  their  beasts  back  when  arrived  at  the 
station.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  believe  that  a  little 
regulation  would  not  change  so  extremely  inconve- 
nient a  system.  If  each  postmaster  were  compelled  to 
keep  harness,  for  which  an  additional  posting  cliarge 
might  be  made,  and  if  regular  coachmen  were  kept, 
this  wild  and  barbarous  mode  of  travelling  might  be 
put  an  end  to.  If  the  posts  are  long,  the  coachmen 
stop  half-way,  and  the  peasants,  taking  off  the  bridles, 
feed  their  horses  with  black  bread,  which  is  always 
brought  in  the  sacks.  I  did  not  observe  here  (as  in 
Hanover)  that  the  women  fed  or  cleaned  the  horses, 
but  I  saw  them  at  the  plough,  and  assisting  in  all 
other  duties  of  husbandry. 

The  roads  are  excellent,  and  from  Helsingborg  to 
Stockholm  it  is  nearly  an  entire  plain.  Indeed,  with  the 
exception  of  one  range  of  hills,  about  three  miles  on  the 
road  to  Falkenberg,  which  have  the  appearance  of  a  low 
ridge  of  alps,  I  saw  scarcely  any  rising  ground,  but  oc- 
casionally there  are  short  and  steep  rocky  pitches.  The 
average  rate  of  driving  is  from  six  to  seven  English 
miles  an  hour,  and  you  may  calculate  on  being  kept  at 
least  half  an  hour  at  every  change  of  horses  ;  thus 
you  make  twelve  or  fourteen  Swedish  miles  per  day. 
This  is  good  travelling,  a  Swedish  mile  being  about 
six  English. 

Before  I  leave  the  subject  of  Swedish  roads,  I  must 
observe  on   a  badly-managed  system  by   wliicli  tlte 


FENCES, 


47 


farmers  are  allowed  to  put  gates  for  continuing  the 
marking  the  boundaries  of  their  pastures,  across  the 
public  roads.  Nothing  can  be  so  annoying  as  being 
stopped  every  five  minutes  to  have  gates  opened ;  it  is 
true  tliat  there  are  generally  some  poor  half-starved 
children  at  each  gate  when  the  weather  is  dry  and 
fine,  but  in  bad  weather  some  one  from  the  carriages 
must  always  descend  for  tlie  purpose.  I  saw  few  toll- 
bars,  except  where  there  are  bridges  of  stone  or  wood ; 
the  latter  are  most  frequent,  but  I  apprehend  the  hard 
granite  material  of  which  the  roads  are  made  binds  so 
well,  and  the  wagons  and  carts  of  the  country  run  so 
light  with  narrow  wheels,  that  the  roads  require  little 
or  no  repair,  and  very  trifling  tolls  are  levied  for  that 
purpose. 

The  most  singular  feature  along  the  sides  of  the 
roads,  and  across  the  face  of  the  country,  is  the  wooden 
fence,  or  rather  paling,  which  is  made  by  fixing  two 
sticks  perpendicularly  at  certain  distances  from  each 
other,  and  then  laying  horizontally  a  number  of  other 
pieces  of  wood  across  these  perpendiculars,  and  bind- 
ing the  whole  together  with  rush  and  wooden  bands. 
It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  durability  of  this  manu- 
factured hedge,  but,  from  its  being  so  universal,  I  sup- 
pose it  answers,  from  the  abundance  and  cheapness  of 
wood.  It  adds,  however,  a  stiffness  and  coldness  to  the 
look  of  a  very  flat,  bleak  country ;  and  I  think  the  intro- 
duction of  ditches  and  quicks  would  be  a  material  im- 
provement. Indeed  every  agricultural  embellishment 
is  much  in  arrear ;  the  generality  of  the  crops  was  poor, 
though  occasionally,  near  the  towns,  I  saw  some  toler- 
able grain. 


48 


THE    SWEDISH    PEOPLE. 


In  the  villages,  the  houses  are  universally  built  of 
wood ;  and  here  again  there  is  no  inclination  to  ad- 
vance, although  stone  and  lime  for  substantial  build- 
ings do  not  seem  wanting.  The  mansions  are  painted 
different  colours,  but  chiefly  red,  and  the  fences  and 
shutters  have  a  variety  of  tints,  which  make  the  gar- 
dens round  them  appear  neat  and  gay,  and  they  form 
a  contrast  with  the  post-houses  and  places  of  reception, 
which  are  generally  bad.  The  use  of  large  glass 
windows,  to  which  are  invariably  attached  white  fringed 
curtains,  gives  an  air  of  cleanliness  outside.  The 
pavement  in  all  the  towns  is  execrable,  and  the  poorer 
class  of  people  seem  wretched ;  many  go  barefooted. 
J  saw,  near  the  cottages,  no  visible  means  of  live- 
lihood ;  neither  pig-sties,  turf-stacks,  nor  corn  or  cattle: 
every  side  was  barren.  I  learnt  also  that  the  people 
seldom  indulge  in  meat,  neither  do  they  like  potatoes, 
but  they  make  a  sort  of  oatmeal  cake,  which  they  keep 
chewing  in  their  mouth,  (like  tobacco,)  on  which  they 
chiefly  live.  Distilled  spirits  and  strong  liquors  are 
very  prevalent  amongst  the  lower  classes  ;  and  I  really 
believe  tliey  are  as  badly  off*  in  the  common  nourish- 
ments of  life  as  the  peasants  in  the  south  of  Ireland. 
There  is  an  apparent  misery  and  dearth  of  population 
through  the  country,  and  yet  many  parts  have  the 
means  of  making  progress,  if  it  were  not  for  an  adhe- 
rence to  old  usages  and  customs,  which  in  the  laws 
and  government  of  Sweden  have  been  set  aside,  but 
in  the  provinces  and  country  old  habits  yet  prevail. 
The  poor  are  not  ill  clothed  ;  the  peasants  bringing 
their  post-horses  had  generally  jackets  made  of  sheep- 


CATTLE.  —  FOOD. 


49 


skins,  the  woolly  side  inwards.  The  men  wear  caps  with 
little  shades  ;  the  country  girls  have  handkerchiefs  of 
different  colours  tied  over  the  head,  and  equally  gay- 
coloured  neckerchiefs  ;  and  I  was  much  struck  by  their 
picturesque  appearance,  driving  along  in  their  little 
carts. 

Of  the  light  wagons  and  carriages  there  is  one 
of  a  peculiar  nature;  it  affords  a  place  only  for  a 
single  person,  in  the  form  of  a  buggy  ;  it  is  placed 
on  very  long  springs,  and  must  be  easy  and  play 
gently  ;  the  master  generally  sits  and  drives,  and  a 
palfrcnier  stands  close  behind  him. 

The  cattle  I  saw  in  Sweden  were  unusually  small ; 
the  milch  cows  indifferent,  and  you  rarely,  if  ever, 
meet   with   good   butter   or  cream,    and    no  cheese. 
The  peculiarity  of  the  oxen  tribe  is,  that  they  have 
nearly  all  white,  bald  faces ;  the  sheep  are  likewise 
small,  and  are  rarely  seen  but  in  very  small  flocks, 
with  a  boy  or  two,  and  a  shaggy  dog  to  guard  them  ; 
the  herd  is  mixed  up   with  goats,  which  are  chiefly 
black,  and  there  are  also  numerous  black  sheep.     In 
various  parts  of  the  heath   and  mountain  ground  I 
perceived  the  cultivators  were  adopting  the  plan  of 
paring  and  burning  it,  but  whether  with  effect  I  could 
not  learn.     It  is  necessary  for  the  traveller  to  know 
that   he  will  hardly  ever  find  meat  at  a  post-house 
without  previous  preparation ;  and  the  meat,  as  com- 
pared with  English,  is  only  half-fed  and   very  indif- 
ferent ;  the  beef  is  better  than  the  mutton  ;  fowls  badly 
nourished,  and  of  no  flavour;  geese  and  ducks  fat  and 
plentiful ;  eggs,  coffee,  rusks,  and  bread,  or  rolls  filled 

VOL.    I.  E 


50 


INN    AT    GOTHENBOURG. 


i! 


with  aniseed,  is  the  general  fare  at  each  inn.  Wine  is 
everywhere  imported  and  conveyed  into  the  interior 
by  the  easy  canal  carriage,  and  excellent  champagne 
and  all  sorts  of  Eno-lish  beer  were  to  be  had  :  the  com- 
mon  beer  of  the  country  is  bad. 

The  journey  in  two  days  from  Helsingborg  to  Go- 
thenbourg  is  harassing.     We  did  not  arrive  at  Falken- 
berg,  which  is  about  half-way,  until  two  o'clock  in 
the  morning  of  the  27th.     The  accommodation  at  the 
above  place  was  indifferent,  our  party  being  separated 
in   two  houses ;  the  vermin  in  each  were  insufferable. 
The  females  of  our  party  did  not  go  to  bed,  and  we 
arrived   at  Gothenbourg  on  the  following  day,  mucli 
tired  and  worn  out.     Here  is  a  large  straggling  inn, 
kept  by  a  fat  Swedish  widow,  with  numerous  women- 
servants  in  tlie  house,  by   whom  you  are  attended. 
The  apartments  are  good,  and,  except  tlie  intolerable 
smells  and  dirt  in  passing  and  repassing  to  your  rooms, 
the  place  is  not  uncomfortable. 


GOTHENBOURG. 


51 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Gothenbourg— Inn  at  Trollhatten— Canal  to  Stockholm— Falls  of 
Trollhatten— Mr.  Lloyd— Marienstadt— Dreary  Country— Stock- 
holm—Public  Buildings— View  of  Stockholm— Shops— Por- 
pliyry — Carriages  and  Horses— The  Swedish  Army. 

The  town  of  Gothenbourg  is  small,  but  the  streets 
are  wide,  and  the  houses  old  ;  the  harbour  and  canals 
almost  encircle  the  city.  It  was  nearly  burnt  down 
in  1804,  since  which  the  main  street  has  been  most 
judiciously  and  strongly  rebuilt  with  brick  and  stone. 
A  fine  row  of  large  houses  fronts  the  quays  on  each 
side  of  the  canal  that  comes  from  the  sea.  A  consi- 
derable number  of  vessels  constantly  trade  here,  and 
the  export  of  iron  and  deals  to  America  and  England 
is  very  great.  The  merchants  are  a  rich,  pains-taking 
set  of  people;  and  as  a  canal  is  now  established 
through  Sweden  from  Gothenbourg  to  Stockholm, 
I  should  have  thought  it  a  fine  opening  for  the  exten- 
sion of  trade  ;  and  I  was,  therefore,  proportionably  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  the  steam-packets  which  ran  from 
Harwich  to  this  place  had  been  discontinued  last  year 

E    2 


n 


IIh. 


52 


INN    AT    TROLLHATTEN. 


by   the   parsimonj^    of    both  governments,   it   being 
alleged  that  they  did  not  pay  their  expenses. 

Mr.  Harrison,  the  English  vice-consul,  waited  upon 
us,  and  afforded  us  every  assistance.     No  letters  from 
England,  nor  news  of  any  kind,  were  now  received  at 
Gothenbourg  but  by  Hamburgh  ;  and  this  great  incon- 
venience is  submitted  to  for  the  paltry  annual  saving 
of  £4000  between   the  two  governments,  when   one 
should  suppose  it  would  be  worth  thrice  that  sum  to 
keep  up  a  constant  and  continual  intercourse  between 
the  nearest  points  in  the  two  countries.    There  are  from 
Helsingborg  two  lines  of  road  which  travellers  can  take 
to  Stockholm ;  one  to  the  south  by  Lindkoping,  Nor- 
koping,   and   Nykoping,  and  the  other  more  north- 
wardly by  Gothenbourg  and  the  Falls  of  Trollhatten. 
The  former  has  the  advantage  of  being  a  day's  jour- 
ney shorter.     The  latter  affords  the   opportunity  of 
seeing  Gothenbourg  and  the  celebrated  sluices  and 
watercourses  of  Trollhatten.      We  were  tempted  by 
the  description  we  had  received  of  the  wonders  of  the 
north  road  to  take  that  way,  and   proceeded  on  the 
28th  to  Trollh'atten,  where  there  is  a  IsiTge  junketting 
inn  ;  it  being  a  place  of  resort  for  parties  visiting  the 
waterfalls,  and  the  large  steam  saw-mills  established 
here  by  a  Mr.  Dixon,  an  English  merchant. 

The  house  is  kept  very  clean  up  stairs ;  but  being 
built  of  wood,  and  the  weather  stormy,  we  found  it 
cold,  and  were  delighted  with  large  fires  in  the 
middle  of  August.  The  lower  part,  however,  swarmed 
with  all  sorts  of  people ;  the  kitchen,  being  close  to 
the  bottom  of  the  staircase,  presented  a  scene  of  un- 


CANAL    TO    STOCKHOLM. 


53 


equalled  slovenliness.  Though  we  reposed  a  day  here, 
we  found  it  difficult  for  our  own  cook  to  get  us  any- 
thing really  good  for  dinner.  This  surprised  us  the 
more,  as  we  heard  the  waters  abounded  in  salmon  and 
trout,  and  the  country  with  les  coqs  de  bruyeres  and 
game  of  all  sorts,  except  partridges,  whicli  are  rare 
in  Sweden,  and  none  so  early  in  this  jDjart  of  tlie 
country.  In  lieu  thereof  there  are  numbers  in  autumn 
of  a  bird  called  Jellinotte,  which  is  remarkably  good 
and  delicate,  but  in  general  there  were  bad  supplies  of 
them  this  year. 

I  liave  mentioned  the  large  engine-establishment  of 
Mr.  Dixon,  which  is  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  inn. 
The  powerful   machinery  was  brought  into  operation 
here  about  ten  years  since.     This  gentleman  took  a 
lease  of  the  premises  from  the  Swedish  Canal  Com- 
pany, and,  having  erected  these  saw-mills,  purchased 
large  lots  of  timber  in  the  country,  which  are  brought 
down  on  rafts,  and  floated  through  the  canals  or  over 
the  lakes,  or  carried  by  small  craft,  and,  when  sawed, 
are  further  shipped  and  sent  to  Gothenbourg,  where 
they  are  embarked  for  England.     There  seems  a  great 
trade  in  these  deals,  and  I  have  no  doubt  Mr.  Dixou 
has  realised  (as  he  deserves)  a  considerable  fortune. 
The  canal  to  Stockholm  is  a  splendid  national  work. 
It  is  formed  and  carried  on  by  a  company,   and  the 
shares  are   at  present  paying  twelve  per  cent.     There 
are  other  canals  in  Sweden,  but  none  equal  to  this 
magnificent    undertaking.     For  a    considerable  way 
near     its     source  it   is    cut  through  solid  rocks, — a 
striking  monument  of  the  perseverance  and  ingenuity 


l\ 


htj- 


54 


FALLS    OF    TROLLHATTEN. 


of  the  Swedish  people.  Besides  the  canal,  the  great 
sluices  (that  are  established  for  the  ingress  and 
egress  of  vessels,  and  their  passing  each  other  to  and 
fro  when  laden)  claim  particular  attention  ;  they  are 
of  gigantic  construction.  There  is  also  now  esta- 
blished, by  means  of  the  company,  a  steam-boat  con- 
veyance twice  a  week  to  Stockholm,  by  which  you 
can  travel  in  five  days  from  Trollhatten  with  great 
convenience  and  comfort,  stopping  every  night.  As, 
however,  these  boats  do  not  carry  large  carriages,  I 
gave  up  all  idea  of  making  this  experiment. 

I  am  now  to  describe  the  waterfalls.  I  had  heard 
that  they  surpass  those  of  the  Rhine,  and  even  equal 
those  of  Niagara.  Not  having  yet  visited  America, 
though  I  may  do  so  one  of  these  days,  (if  fate  j)ermit,) 
I  can  say  nothing  of  the  latter  comparison  ;  but  having 
seen  the  falls  of  the  Rhine,  I  can  confidently  deny  that 
those  of  Trollhatten  can  at  all  compare  with  them  in 
height,  body,  or  expanse  of  water,  or  surrounding  pic- 
turesque embellishments  ;  nay,  for  my  own  part,  I 
really  do  not  think  these  Swedish  falls  surpass  those 
of  the  Clyde.  Great  pains  seem  to  be  taken  by  the 
government  to  form  walks  of  easy  access,  and  to  beau- 
tify the  environs.  Prince  Oscar  and  his  family  had 
been  residing  at  this  place  last  year ;  the  king  had  also 
been  here  to  patronise  it ;  and  on  the  face  of  a  large 
rock  you  see  hewn  out  the  names  of  Carl  Jean  Oscar 
and  all  the  family  ;  but  there  is  not  sufficient  pic- 
turesque scenery,  nor  are  there  bathing  or  mineral  wa- 
ters to  induce  travellers  to  make  it  a  place  for  long 
rebideuce.     They  reported  at  the  inn  that  there  was 


MR.    LLOYD. MARIENSTADT. 


55 


good  salmon-fishing,  and  that  young  English  noblemen 
have  visited  it  for  that  purpose  ;  and  there  is  an  anec- 
dote of  a  Mr.  Lloyd,  a  Welsh  gentleman,  who  has 
hired  or  bought  a  property  in  the  neighbourhood,  and 
who  devotes  himself  exclusively  to  the  field-sports  of 
Sweden,  especially  to  hunting  and  killing  bears  and 
stags.  In  following  the  former  he  is  particularly 
adroit ;  but  he  lives,  for  this  object,  nearly  the  life  of  a 
mountaineer,  and  I  was  sorry  to  learn  his  ardour  had 
been  lately  somewhat  cooled  by  his  shooting  a  peasant 
instead  of  Bruin,  which  must  have  been  most  distress- 
ing, if  the  statement  be  true.  This  gentleman  has  pub- 
lished an  amusing  work  on  the  field-sports  of  Sweden 
and  Norway,  and  is  considered  quite  a  character  in 
the  country. 

The  inn,  lately  built,  is  in  the  best  position  for 
viewing  the  cataracts  of  the  place.  The  road  was 
formerly  on  the  northern  side.  The  canal  is  about 
forty  feet  wide,  and  above  fifty  deep — the  cataracts 
broad,  and  full  of  foam  ;  but  they  do  not  tumble  from 
any  height  so  as  to  excite  astonishment.  There  are 
three  principal  places  to  view  them  from.  The  broad- 
est fall  is  that  which  is  nearest  the  inn. 

Having  explored  all  worth  notice,  we  renewed 
our  journey  on  the  30th  to  Marienstadt,  a  distance 
of  twelve  or  thirteen  Swedish  miles.  We  passed 
the  fine  river  of  the  Gorta,  and  drove  a  considerable 
way  by  the  lake  Wener,  one  of  the  largest  in  Sweden. 
I  can  say  little  of  the  inn  at  Marienstadt,  but 
it  was  not  so  bad  as  that  at  Falkenberg.  We 
were    first    informed  that   Embechen   was  the   place 


56 


DIIEAUY    COUNTRY. 


STOCKHOLM 


57 


i) 


;li 


to  pass  the  night  ;  but,  wisliing  to  reach  the  town 
of  Orebro  on  the  following  day,  we  made  an  effort  to 
get  to  Marienstadt,  where  we  were  not  repaid  by  any 
comfort.  On  the  31st  we  slept  at  Orebro,  near  which 
place  is  the  seat  of  the  Baron  Rehausen,  so  long- 
minister  in  England.  There  are  a  large  castle  and  jail 
in  the  town,  but  the  post-house,  close  to  the  church- 
yard, is  extremely  disagreeable.  Our  lodgings  like- 
wise were  divided  (as  at  Falkenberg)  into  two  depart- 
ments. We  suffered  all  possible  annoyance  and  incon- 
venience. 

The  country  through  which  we  travelled  the  last 
few  days  had  the  same  flatness,  the  same  wretched 
appearance,  unvaried  by  the  sight  of  man  or  beast. 
Occasionally  large  forests  of  pine  diversify  the  uninte- 
resting extent  of  plains  and  lakes,  and  rocks  intervene 
in  the  dreary  monotony  of  the  wooden  fences  which  I 
have  before  described.  In  one  word,  it  is  hardly 
possible,  in  any  country  which  I  have  yet  seen,  to 
travel  so  great  a  distance  without  coming  to  some 
habitable  spot  ;  and  the  barrenness  of  this  part  of 
Sweden  is  certainly,  I  should  think,  unequalled  in  the 
rest  of  Europe. 

On  the  1st  of  September  we  halted  for  the  night  at 
Emkoping,  where  the  accommodation  is  by  no  means 
better  than  that  of  other  stages  on  the  road  ;  and  on 
the  2nd  we  entered  Stockholm.  I  must  now  say,  for 
the  credit  of  the  coachman  whom  we  hired  at  Hel- 
singborg,  that  we  had  not  a  single  accident,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  one  delay,  1  believe  there  never  was  a 
journey  performed  more  liappily.     The  delay  I  allude 


to,  was  at  one  of  those  very  steep  and  rugged  ascents 
which  I  have  before  mentioned.  Our  little  Lilliputian 
horses  gibbed  with  our  large  carriage  ;  our  servants  for- 
tunately leaped  from  behind,  and,  with  much  presence 
of  mind,  put  stones  under  the  wheels,  and  thereby 
saved  the  carriage  from  inevitable  destruction  :  we 
were  then  obliged  to  unrope  the  horses  from  the  lead- 
ing carriage,  and  pull  up  our  large  machine,  turning 
all  the  party  out  upon  the  rocks  until  this  point  was 
accomplished.  These  are  the  dcsagremens  that  make 
travelling  abroad  at  night  with  ladies  always  at- 
tended by  annoyance,  and,  unless  necessity  compels 
it,  it  should  never  be  attempted.  The  worst  cabaret  or 
the  most  uninviting  gite  is  better  to  put  up  with, 
(having  beds  and  canteens  with  you,)  than  to  risk  all 
possible  dangers  in  the  dark  in  unfrequented  and 
thinly-peopled  regions.  Besides,  after  all,  there  is 
not  much  gained  ;  because,  slow  as  the  operation  of 
changing  and  collecting  horses  in  the  daytime  is,  it 
is  doubly  tedious  at  night.  I  would  also  give  another 
caution  necessary  on  a  journey  in  Sweden,  namely, 
not  to  hire  or  load  any  peasant's  waggon,  which  is 
to  be  changed  at  each  station  by  awkward  English 
servants  aided  by  the  peasants.  I  experienced  much 
inconvenience  and  difficulty  from  this  bad  manage- 
ment.    It  is  far  preferable  to  buy  your  own  wagon. 

I  shall  now  detail  briefly  my  own  impressions  of 
Stockholm.      The   approach   to   the   town    is  in   no 
degree  striking ;  by  this  northern  route   you    arrive 
by   a   succession    of  gardens,  with  high    palings,  on 
the  road-side;    there    is   no  apparent    movement   or 


:'j 


58 


PUBLIC    BUILDINGS. 


bustle  indicative  of  a  capital.  Wooden  houses  pre- 
vail alternately  with  brick,  and  you  enter  the  city 
by  a  common  sort  of  gate,  where  a  guard  of  the 
grenadiers  of  the  Swedish  guards  is  placed;  you 
then  drive  down  a  long-continued  street  called  La 
Rue  de  la  Reine,  which  I  heard  afterwards  was  tlie 
principal  thoroughfare  of  the  town,  and  at  the  end 
of  it  you  arrive  at  the  Hotel  du  Nord — the  best,  in- 
deed I  may  say  the  only,  hotel  garni  wliere  an 
English  family  can  be  well  accommodated ;  and 
had  the  best  apartments  been  occupied,  we  should 
have  been  very  badly  lodged.  A  more  striking 
instance  cannot  surely  be  given  of  tlie  extreme  po- 
verty of  a  great  city,  of  the  little  resort  of  strangers, 
and  of  the  unfrequent  visits  of  travellers  of  distinc- 
tion. Mr.  Bloomfield,  our  charge  d'affaires,  had 
engaged  our  rooms,  and  attended  to  us  during  the 
whole  of  our  stay  with  the  utmost  kindness  and 
friendship. 

Iq  diverging  from  the  Rue  de  la  Reine,  you  come 
immediately  on  the  great  square  of  Stockholm.  The 
royal  palace,  a  magnificent  structure,  stands  opposite. 
Le  Pont  du  Nord  is  here  thrown  over  the  river,  which 
spreads  itself  into  several  branches,  on  the  banks  of 
which  the  town  is  built.  On  the  right  of  this  square 
is  another  palace,  formerly  the  Princess  Sophia's ;  but, 
since  her  death  and  the  banishment  of  the  Vasa 
dynasty,  it  has  lapsed  to  the  present  king.  On  the 
left  side  of  the  square  is  the  splendid  Salle  d'Opera, 
where  Gustavus  III.  was  assassinated  ;  and  in  the  centre 
a  fine  bronze  statue  of  Gustavus  Vasa  has  been  erected. 


VIEW    OF    STOCKHOLM. 


59 


Although  these  edifices  are  all  of  brick  and  stucco, 
except  a  stupendous  architectural  double  staircase 
that  leads  up  to  the  palace,  it  is  impossible  not  to 
be  struck  with  admiration  at  this  grand  view  of  a 
city  different  almost  from  any  other.  In  my 
mind  it  bears  much  resemblance  to  the  situation  of 
Lisbon,  with  its  various  hills,  its  white  mansions, 
rocks,  and  radiant  waters.  It  appears  in  many 
places  to  have  fine  houses,  and  yet,  if  you  stretch 
into  the  suburbs,  you  have  islands  surrounded  by 
branches  of  bold  running,  or  calm  and  still  stream- 
lets ;  you  have  drawbridges  and  bridges  of  boats 
over  all  these ;  then  gay  wooden  buildings,  ragged 
crags,  picturesque  lime-trees  and  sycamores,  bending 
their  branches  to  the  waters.  If  you  turn  your  eyes 
on  one  side,  you  imagine  yourself  in  the  midst  of 
most  romantic  scenery ;  and  if  on  the  other,  you  are 
astonished  by  stately  spires  and  massive  porticoes  of 
temples  and  churches.  The  most  striking  effect 
in  Stockholm  is  produced  by  a  visit  to  the  Mussel 
Berg  on  the  high  promontory  above  the  town,  where 
the  telegrapli  is  erected  :  from  it  you  look  down  upon 
a  rich  and  diversified  panorama  ;  for  the  poverty  of 
the  building  materials  being  no  longer  visible,  the 
town  appears  as  a  mass  of  stone  mansions  towering 
upon  diflferent  hillocks,  one  above  another,  surrounded 
by  rivers,  out  of  which  islands,  covered  with  the  finest 
trees,  rise  in  rival  beauty.  On  the  side  of  the  park, 
where  the  king  has  created  a  seclusion  for  himself  in  a 
villa  which  really  is  a  little  paradise,  you  see  docks  or 
coverings,  painted  in  coloured  woods,  for  the   gun- 


I' I/' 


1 

-I 


1 


1 


[l! 


60 


VIEW    OF    STOCKHOLM. 


boats,  which  are  innumerable  in  the  Swedish  service. 
Capacious  and  very  fine  barracks  for  the  horse  and 
foot  guards,  in  a  line  with  this  range  of  docks,  next 
strike  your  attention  ;  and  then  various  bridges  over 
the  many  branches  of  the  subsidiary  rivulets,  inter- 
sected by  fragments  of  huge  stone,  covered  with 
every  species  of  shrub  and  plant  tliat  belong  to  the 
country.  Finally,  the  eye  rests  upon  the  expansive 
quays,  custom-house,  and  forests  of  shipping  of  every 
country,  which  range  just  below  the  royal  palace; 
and  the  colossal  equestrian  statue  of  Gustavus  Vasa, 
in  majestic  height,  towers  above  all  with  picturesque 
effect,  and  seems  to  look  down  with  a  commanding 
expression,  as  much  as  to  announce,  "  All  that  is  be- 
low, and  round,  and  near,  is  mine."  This  is  but  a 
feeble  description  of  what  really  fascinates  the  be- 
holder, as  the  spot  affords  at  once  an  ocular  decep- 
tion which  produces  a  truly  enchanting  spectacle. 

The  next  object  in  the  city  is  the  fine  square  or 
promenade  of  Nordemnalin,  where  there  is  a  statue 
in  bronze  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  on  a  granite  pe- 
destal flanked  by  four  rampant  lions ;  a  little  be- 
yond it  formerly  stood  the  great  church  of  Ritter- 
holm,  in  which  were  collected  all  the  tombs  of  the 
kings  of  Sweden,  and  the  trophies  of  their  wars. 
This  fine  building,  having  been  struck  by  lightning, 
was  lately  destroyed  by  fire,  and  all  the  banners  and 
trophies  are  now  in  a  very  confused  and  mutilated 
state.  The  churches  of  St.  Nicholas  and  St.  Clair  are 
grand  and  handsome ;  the  former  has  a  good  collec- 
tion of  pictures.     There  are  various  public  establish- 


li 


SHOPS. PORPHYRY. 


61 


ments,  for  orphans,  for  lying-in  women,  and  for  the 
widows  of  citizens ;  also  academies  of  science,  sculp- 
ture, and  painting,  together  with  the  arsenal  and 
naval  establishments,  all  of  which  tire  well  worthy  of 
inspection. 

There  is  an  extremely  poor  display  in  the  shops 
in  Stockholm ;  the  only  ones  of  any  importance 
appear  in  La  Rue  de  la  Reine:  everything  in  the 
shape  of  "  les  modes"  may  be  obtained  as  well  at  a 
provincial  town  in  England.  One  establishment,  how- 
ever, of  the  unique  fabric  of  porphyry  merits  particular 
notice.  The  direction  of  this  work  (like  the  Pietra 
Dura  in  Tuscany)  is  entirely  under  the  direction  of  the 
government.  The  stone  is  of  singular  beauty,  nearly 
of  all  colours,  and  takes  the  highest  possible  polish, 
but  it  is  so  hard  that  it  requires  great  labour  and 
time  to  work  it,  and  the  smallest  articles  are  in 
consequence  excessively  expensive.  The  large  vases, 
jardinieres,  or  urns  that  are  made,  are  of  high  value. 
They  keep  nothing  of  any  consequence  at  the  maga- 
zine :  every  article  must  be  bespoken,  and  there  are 
prices  fixed  by  the  government  according  to  the 
square  inch  worked,  so  that  no  traffic  can  be  made ; 
indeed,  the  whole  estabhshment  is  in  the  hands  of 
the  king.  This  porphyry  is  peculiar  to  Sweden,  and 
it  is  more  rare  and  durable,  and  more  difficult  to  be 
got,  than  any  other  kind  of  stone  or  granite  in  the 
north. 

The  badness  and  poverty  of  the  shops  may  ac- 
count for  the  little  inclination  there  seems  to  be  on 
the  part  of  the  inhabitants  to  walk  abroad  in  the 
streets ;  unless,    indeed,  you  would   find  a  reason  in 


62 


CARRIAGES    AND    HORSES. 


11 


the  vilest  pavement,  which  appears  here  tlie  less 
excusable,  as  there  are  good  materials,  and  an  im- 
provement in  this  respect  wants  only  some  additional 
expense  and  a  good  system  of  management.  I  fear, 
however,  the  former  is  inconvenient,  as  the  finances 
are  not  flourishing,  and  the  people  are  impoverished ; 
and  as  to  the  latter,  the  Swedes,  like  the  Danes,  are  yet 
too  much  wedded  to  old  plans  and  customs  ;  although, 
to  do  them  justice,  they  are  evidently  making  great  and 
rapid  progress  in  science  and  in  modern  arts.  The  light- 
ing of  the  city  is  far  better  than  at  Copenhagen.  Car- 
riages of  all  sorts  are  to  be  seen,  and  nearly  every  one 
drives  about.  Omnibuses  are  likewise  established,  and 
the  court,  the  nobles,  and  the  corps  diplomatique  pride 
themselves  on  their  equipages,  which  are  respectable. 
The  royal  stables,  close  to  the  palace,  are  much  upon  the 
same  scale  as  those  of  Denmark — viz.  sets  of  cream- 
colours,  of  greys,  of  bays,  browns,  and  blacks,  with  lum- 
bering, heavy,  gilt-gingerbread  royal  carriages.  Some 
of  the  small  horses  at  Stockholm  are  nevertheless  of 
quick  action,  go  high,  and  are  very  nice  ;  but,  excepting 
the  royal  stud,  the  generality  are  of  a  very  diminutive 


SWEDISH    ARMY, 


63 


race. 


The  civil  and  military  administration  of  this  lately 
united  kingdom  of  Sweden  and  Norway  is  embar- 
rassed with  incongruities  and  difficulties  of  various 
descriptions,  and  it  will  be  a  lapse  of  years  before  the 
government  can  be  conducted  and  consolidated  in 
harmony  and  cordiality. 

For  example,  the  constitution  of  Sweden  prescribes 
its  fundamental  laws  to  be  enacted  by  the  five  estates, 
of  which  the  king,  clergy,  and  nobles,   are  three,  the 


burghers  and  peasants  being  the  other  two ;  a  majority 
is  generally  at  the  command  of  the  sovereign.  This 
is  not  so  in  Norway,  and  the  late  refractory  spirit  of 
the  Storthing,  in  resisting  the  will  of  the  monarch 
and  refusing  the  budget,  together  with  their  accusing 
one  of  the  principal  ministers,  and  demanding  his 
dismissal,  (which  minister  had  virtually  acted  under 
royal  authority,)  leads  to  a  surmise  that  some  organic 
changes  may  be  attempted  sooner  or  later  by  King 
Charles  in  the  Norway  Act  of  Union. 

It  seems  impossible  that  affairs  can  go  on  long  as 
they  are,  unless  the  king  has  firmness  to  resist  and 
overcome  the  democracy  of  his  Norwegian  subjects. 
His  Majesty  has  had  the  greatest  merit  in  organising 
his  army.  I  saw  it  inefficient,  though  patient  and 
enduring,  in  1813.  I  inspected,  in  1836,  various 
regiments  in  detail,  and  could  form  a  tolerably  accu- 
rate opinion  of  the  whole ;  they  are  admirably  clothed 
and  accoutred,  have  a  martial,  soldier-like  air,  and  ap- 
pear clean  and  orderly.  When,  in  addition,  I  was  told 
that  this  country,  on  an  emergency,  could  collect  one 
hundred  thousand  men  in  a  short  space  of  time,  with 
proportionate  artillery  and  cavalry,  I  could  not  help 
being  amazed  at  the  improvement  that  had  been  ac- 
complished in  twenty  years.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive 
where  revenue  could  be  found  in  so  poor  a  realm  to 
e(juip  and  organise  such  a  force  ;  and  although  I  got 
no  precise  information  as  to  the  finances  of  the  country, 
I  cannot  imagine,  from  all  I  witnessed,  from  what 
sources  they  can  flow,  or  how  they  can  in  any  reason- 
able time  be  flourishing. 


^\1 


t 


y 


04 


THE    KING    OF    SWEDENT. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  King  of  Sweden — Conversation  with  the  King — Royal  Dinners 
— Ladies  of  the  Court— Prince  Oscar — Military  Festival — 
Prince  Oscar's  Sons — The  King's  Villa  at  Rosenberg — Royal 
Dinner — Other  Visits  to  the  King — Conversation  with  his  Ma- 
jesty—Unexpected Occurrence — Royal  Steam-yacht — Our  Fel- 
low Passengers— Departure  from  Sweden. 

It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  give  any  biographical 
sketch  of  the  extraordinary  individual  who  now 
governs  this  country,  as  few  are  ignorant  of  the  career 
of  Bernadotte.  In  1813  I  saw  him  at  Damewitz  and 
at  Leipsic.  It  was  my  fortune  to  be  peculiarly  con- 
nected with  him  in  various  duties  I  had  to  discharge, 
both  of  a  military  and  diplomatic  character.  I  was 
always  impressed  with  his  singular  talent  and  ability ; 
and  when  one  contemplates  him  as  the  only  individual 
who  has  established,  amidst  the  storms  of  revolution, 
his  dynasty  upon  the  ancient  throne  of  Sweden  and 
Norway,  it  is  impossible  not  to  render  him  that 
homage  which  his  transcendent  genius  demands. 

I  was  not  prepared  (from  circumstances  to  which 
it  is  unnecessary  to  advert)  to  receive  that  singularly 
kind  accueily  and  that  royal  and  affectionate  favour, 


I 


THE    KING    OF    SWEDEN. 


05 


which  his  Majesty,  after  a  lapse  of  twenty-three  years, 
was  pleased,  on  my  visiting  his  kingdom,  to  bestow 
on  me  and  mine ;  and  we  all  know  when  a  monarch 
gives  the  tone,  how  cordially  all  the  court  and  sub- 
jects follow  its  impulse.  Charles-Jean  was  fifty 
years  of  age  in  1813;  I  found  him,  therefore,  with 
twenty-three  years  added  to  his  wonderful  life,  and  in 
appearance  little  changed ;  the  same  vigour  of  mind, 
and  apparently  of  body,  the  same  elasticity  of  intellect ; 
and  if  his  singularly  coal-black  hair  had  in  this  lapse 
of  years  received  a  tinge  of  a  lighter  hue,  and  if  it 
had  not  its  former  glossiness,  there  appeared  the  same 
quantity ;  and  the  frame  of  the  soldier,  the  warrior, 
and  the  man,  was  in  no  degree  altered  or  shrunk,  nor 
its  force  (to  appearance)  diminished. 

One  singular  feature  in  the  King  of  Sweden  has 
always  made  a  great  impression  on  my  mind.  In 
conversing  with  him,  he  has  the  art,  as  a  painter  of  the 
first  order,  of  bringing  into  operation  every  colour 
that  can  embellish  the  subject  of  which  he  treats.  He 
forms,  as  it  were,  the  tableau  of  his  discourse  ;  "  il  pose 
les  principes  ;"  and  when  his  groundwork  is  sufii- 
ciently  laboured  to  rivet  the  attention  of  the  eager 
listener,  he  beautifies  his  allusions,  and  attracts  you 
by  his  epigrammatic  sentences,  while  he  alludes  to 
history,  both  ancient  and  modern,  and  you  are  enrap- 
tured with  the  brilliancy  and  playfulness  of  his  con- 
versation. It  has  been  my  lot  to  communicate  person- 
ally and  confidentially  with  many  of  the  first  characters 
of  the  age,  and  I  know  no  individual  (not  even  except- 
ing Prince  Metternich)  who  more  entirely  interests,  and 

VOL.    I.  p 


I 


BBB9Mi^^*fl«P^ 


mm 


GG 


CONVERSATION    WITH    THE    KING. 


IIOYAL    DINNERS. 


G7 


completely  gains  possession  of  your  faculties,  than  the 
King  of  Sweden,  when  he  chooses  to  converse  with 
you  with  that  freedom  and  ease  which  he  can  em- 
ploy. 

I  enjoyed  several  long  conversations  with  him  on 
nearly  every  public  and  political  subject  during  my 
stay  at  Stockholm,  on  which  it  would  be  unnecessary 
and  injudicious  to  dilate.  The  general  purport  of  his  ob- 
servations was  favourable  to  England.  Some  little  un- 
easiness perhaps  towards  Russia  had  lately  been  created, 
on  account  of  her  having  pressed  vigorously  the  com- 
pletion of  the  fortifications  on  the  island  of  Aland, 
and  of  her  preparing  a  large  dock-yard  for  the  whole 
of  her  fleet ;  at  which  station  an  immense  armament 
might  at  any  time  be  collected  within  forty-eight 
hours'  sail  of  Stockholm.  In  alluding  to  this  point,  I 
asked  the  King  why  he  did  not,  in  like  manner,  in- 
crease the  batteries  and  fortifications  on  the  islands 
and  channel  up  to  his  own  capital ;  he  replied,  he  fully 
intended  to  do  so,  and  to  render  it  impregnable  in  the 
course  of  time,  and  when  the  means  were  provided  by 
the  country  for  so  important  an  object. 

Desirous  of  knowing  if  the  King  persevered  in  tlic 
same  custom  as  formerly — when  I  was  obliged  from 
my  duties  to  visit  his  Majesty  at  all  hours  —  of 
sitting  up  very  late  and  getting  up  at  one  or  two 
in  the  day,  and,  while  dressing,  dictating  his  letters 
and  business, — I  heard  that  in  this  respect  his  habits 
had  undergone  no  change,  and  that  he  was  known 
in  winter  to  be  six  or  seven  months  without  going 
out   of  his  room  ;  and  yet,   if  occasion  required  it, 


he  could  at  once  change  his  way  of  life  without 
the  least  inconvenience,  and  be  all  night  on  horse- 
back, not  feeling  the  worse  for  it.  He  was  on  the 
kindest  terms  with  the  queen,  who,  although  doat- 
ingly  attached  to  Paris  and  France,  reconciles  her- 
self to  her  great  and  important  duties.  She  seems 
the  most  amiable  person  imaginable.  We  had  several 
dinners  with  her  Majesty,  during  our  short  stay, 
both  at  the  palace  in  town,  and  at  Rosenberg  in  the 
park.  The  state  dinners  and  company  usually  consist 
of  the  court,  the  high  officers  of  state,  the  ministers,  and 
the  minister  of  the  corps  diplomatique  to  whose 
country  the  distinguished  strangers  belong  who  may 
be  invited.  About  forty  or  fifty  persons  are  commonly 
the  number  invited.  The  dinner  is  served  a  la  Russe, 
but  the  mixture  of  French  and  Swedish  cookery  is 
not  the  most  perfect ;  the  king,  to  be  patriotic,  will 
only  employ  the  latter — the  queen  has  her  cuisine 
apart.  At  the  dinners  of  great  ceremony  all  is  united ; 
and  it  is  rather  singular  to  hear,  that  so  contracted  is 
the  circle  of  society  at  Stockholm,  that  the  King's 
gardens  and  two  parks  are  let.  When  there  is 
a  large  party  at  court,  the  best  of  every  article,  fruits, 
game,  &c.,  is  sought  for  in  the  open  market  for  the 
occasion,  and  families  in  the  town  find  diflficulty  in 
being  supplied  on  those  days. 

Of  the  officers  and  ministers  most  in  the  confidence 
of  his  Majesty,  M.  le  Chevaher  de  Brae  and  le  Baron 
de  Shulzenheim  (in  the  absence  of  Baron  Wettentedt, 
the  prime  minister)  stand  pre-eminently  conspicuous.  It 
would  be  impossible  for  me  here  not  to  add  my  humble 

F  2 


6S 


LADIES    OF    THE    COUUT. 


tribute  of  admiration  to  the  exalted  reputation  M.  de 
Wettentedt  has  obtained,  not  only  in  his  own  country 
with  his  sovereign,  but  over  all  Europe.  I  deeply 
regretted  his  absence  in  England,  where  he  had  gone 
for  advice  for  a  dangerous  malady.  The  universal 
feeling  in  favour  of  this  most  talented  and  able  mi- 
nister leads  to  the  impression  that  when  Sweden  loses 
him,  she  "  ne'er  will  see  his  like  again."  Since  writ- 
ing tlie  above,  he  has  been,  alas  !  called  from  hence. 

Of  the  ladies  of  the  court  I  can  write  but  little. 
Our  visit  to  Stockholm  took  place  unfortunately  at 
a  time  of  year  when  families  were  in  the  country. 
The  dames  d'honneur  were  all  extremely  amiable  ;  one 
of  the  most  fascinating  persons  of  the  court,  Madame 

J 1,  daughter  of  Count  Wettentedt,  whom  I  very 

much  wished  to  see,  was  at  the  country-seat  of  her 
father.  I  had  great  reason  to  be  pleased  with  the 
corps  diplomatique.  The  French  minister,  M.  de 
Moraay,  so  well  known  and  considered  so  amiable  in 
England,  the  Austrian,  Mr.  Edward  Woyna,  the 
American,  Mr.  Hughes,  all  gave  us  handsome  dinners. 
I  must  especially  particularise  M.  de  Mornay  for  the 
extreme  refinement  of  his  table.  We  dined  often 
with  him.  We  had  no  ladies  at  his  parties ;  but 
at  Count  Woyna's  we  had  a  very  agreeable  person, 

the  wife  of  Count  C L m,  a  minister  high  in 

the  favour  of  Charles  XIV.  He  was  employed  at  the 
congress  of  Vienna,  and  has  a  high  reputation  for 
talent.  Count  Woyna's  house  was  fitted  up  in  the 
extreme  of  good  taste.  With  Mr.  Hughes's  hospitality 
and   dinner   I   was   peculiarly  flattered,    not   having 


PRINCE    OSCAIl. 


60 


I 


.M  (())  ;^'  m  IP  if]f  ir  it^  m 


known  him  before ;  he  was  much  noticed  by  the  late 
Mr.  Canning,  and  would  probably  have  risen  to  high 
diplomatic  station,  had  his  friends  in  America  been 
in  favour  with  the  president,  as  diplomatic  appoint- 
ments are  dealt  out  by  the  will  of  the  minister  in 
America,  as  in  England.  Mr.  Hughes  showed  me 
some  autograph  letters  of  the  late  Mr.  Canning, 
which  fully  convinced  me  of  the  regard  and  estimation 
in  which  he  was  held  by  that  statesman. 

Besides  our  dinners  with  the  court  and  corps  diplo- 
matique, we  had  a  delightful  party  at  Prince  Oscar's 
at  Drottenheim.  He  has  a  beautiful  palace  a  few 
miles  from  Stockholm,  which  the  King  allows  him  to 
occupy,  his  Majesty  not  liking  it  so  well  as  his  other 
residences  ;  and  he  lives  here  with  the  princess  and  his 
delightful  family.  She  is  a  daughter  of  the  celebrated 
Eugene  Beauhamois,  and  wonderfully  like  him ;  her 
manners  are  very  engaging.  We  had  about  sixty 
of  Prince  Oscar's  court  and  family  at  dinner ;  and  as 
the  windows  of  the  palace  open  on  the  lake,  on  which 
there  is  a  constant  passage  of  steam-boats  to  and  from 
Stockholm,  the  disembarkation  of  the  crowds  who 
come  to  walk  in  the  public  gardens,  and  the  arrival 
and  departure  of  the  boats,  with  their  different 
streamers,  all  firing  royal  salutes  as  they  arrive  and 
depart,  made  the  scene  indescribably  animating. 

Prince  Oscar  has  the  command  of  the  Swedish 
navy  as  well  as  a  division  of  the  guards,  and  is  gene- 
rally charged  with  the  military  drill  of  the  army,  for 
which  purpose  a  battalion  of  instruction  is  constantly 
stationed  at   Drottenheim   under  his  peculiar    direc- 


i.ondi  ■ 


i«p-«a 


70 


MILITARY    FESTIVAL. 


tion.  The  battalion  is  composed  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent non-commissioned  officers  of  all  the  regiments  of 
the  army  ;  these  are  changed  as  they  are  perfected 
and  able  to  return  to  their  corps,  and  capable  of  giv- 
ing full  instruction  to  them  in  their  relative  situations. 
The  selection  of  the  soldiers  is  made  by  the  officers 
commanding  regiments,  who  are  ordered  to  send  men 
who  can  read  and  write,  and  who  are  intelligent,  in 
preference  to  those  who  are  handsome,  tall,  or  well 
formed.  Prince  Oscar  regularly  superintends  the  les- 
sons of  this  battalion,  and  he  bestows  a  really  parental 
anxiety  on  their  progress,  while  he  consults  their  amuse- 
ments together  with  their  studies.  He  occasionally 
gives  them  balls,  and  he  invited  me,  after  dinner,  to 
attend  one  of  these  festivals. 

I  was  not  a  little  curious  to  witness  the  scene,  and  we 
proceeded  to  a  large  temple  or  room,  where  nearly  three 
hundred  soldiers  were  assembled  in  their  foraging  dress. 
At  first  they  were  formed  in  line,  in  two  ranks,  and 
the  prince  went  along  their  front  and  rear,  conversing 
with  sundry  of  the  men  with  the  greatest  familiarity, 
as  if  he  knew  everything  relating  to  them  ;  the  men 
had  a  soldier-like  appearance,  were  well  set  up,  and 
their  countenances  bespoke  intelligence  and  happiness. 
On  returning  to  the  head  of  the  spacious  apartment, 
at  a  sudden  word  of  command  the  soldiers  all  sepa- 
rated, and  in  a  few  minutes,  from  the  crowd  that  sur- 
rounded the  outside  of  the  building  ;  the  greater  part 
returned,  having  selected  village  maids,  and  a  regular 
scampering  waltz  and  dance  began.  Unquestionably 
the  idea  occurred  to  me  that  they  must  mana'uvre 


PRINCE    OSCAR  S    SONS. 


71 


mucli  better  than  they  danced,  or  that  they  were  bad 
proficients  ;  but  at  any  rate  the  hilarity  and  novelty  of 
the  scene  were  amusing  ;  the  more  so  as,  from  a  sudden 

* 

word  of  the  prince,  the  men  formed  instantly  in  line 
again,  leaving  their  deserted  and  disconsolate  partners 
to  hurry  off  to  rejoin  their  friends  and  their  parents 
as  well  as  they  could. 

In  all  this  exhibition  you  could  trace  the  natural 
French  "  maniire  de  faire  et  agir,''  which  is  so  pe- 
culiar, and  which  nature  has  so  strongly  marked  on 
Prince  Oscar,  that,  with  all  his  Swedish  desire  to 
become  Scandinavian,  he  never  really  can  drain  off* 
that  pure  French  blood  that  flows  in  his  veins.  I 
could  not  help  remarking  to  the  prince,  how  much 
I  was  astonished  that  he  could  charge  himself  with 
duties  which  I  considered  so  incompatible  as  the 
command  of  the  navy,  and  also  be  responsible  for  a 
situation  in  the  army.  The  prince  with  modesty 
replied,  "  It  was  necessary  to  have  his  name  at  the 
head  of  the  navy,  but  that  the  army  was  his  real  pas- 
sion ;  the  King,  however,  commanded  that  in  person, 
and  he  was  glad  to  be  of  any  service  his  Majesty 
thought  him  capable  of  performing." 

Mothing  could  be  more  devoted  to  his  sovereign  and 
to  the  nation  than  his  royal  highness  appeared  to  be. 
He  presented  me  to  his  sons,  three  beautiful  boys, 
who  are  brought  up  entirely  as  Swedes;  these  are 
tlirown  as  much  in  the  way  of  the  people  as  possible, 
and  I  heard  universally  that  the  dynasty  of  the  family 
was  as  firmly  established,  and  the  children  considered 
as  thoroughly  belonging  to  the   soil,  as  if  they  had 


k^ 


72 


THE    KING  S    VILLA    AT    UOSENIJERG. 


boasted  of  as  regular  a  descent  as  the  Capets  them- 
selves. 

The  prince  and  princess,  after  dinner,  showed  us 
the  interior  of  the  palace,  which  is  more  remark- 
able for  its  picturesque  position  on  the  side  of  a  lake, 
and  for  a  large  wooden  bridge  which  communicates 
with  it,  than  for  any  of  its  interior  decorations,  or 
for  elegance  in  furniture.  The  gardens,  which  are  spa- 
cious, are  a  great  public  resort  for  the  inhabitants  of 
Stockholm,  who  fill  the  steam-boats  and  take  their 
recreation  at  Drottenheim  almost  every  day. 

Another  interesting  dinner  amongst  the  many  given  to 
us  by  the  King,  I  must  specify  ;  it  was  at  his  villa  in  his 
park  at  Rosenberg,  which  he  has  fitted  up  very  much 
as  an  Englisli  country-house,  with  parterre  and  gar- 
dens :  everything  in  the  interior  is  of  Swedish  manu- 
facture, even  the  silks  on  the  wall,  which  are  rich  and 
handsome ;  the  fabrication  of  them  possibly  cost  his 
Majesty  twice  as  much  as  if  they  had  been  bought 
at  Lyons ;  however,  the  encouragement  to  the  artisan 
and  manufacturer  is  worthy  the  liberality  of  the  mo- 
narch. The  woodwork  forming  the  cabinet  part  of 
the  furniture  is  chiefly  of  beech,  and  is  beautiful ;  the 
porphyry  vases  (especially  one  of  an  immense  size 
before  the  windows  in  the  garden)  deserve  to  be  spe- 
cially noted.  The  rooms  were  small,  but  well  ar- 
ranged ;  in  them  were  tables  of  porphyry  in  mosaic 
patterns,  in  as  perfect  workmanship  as  can  be  seen. 
His  Majesty  takes  a  peculiar  pleasure  in  pointing- 
out  everything  Swedish. 

I   must  here  mention,  that  in  the  most  gallant   and 


ROYAL    DINNER. 


73 


affectionate  manner  the  Kingtegged  Lady  L.'s  accept- 
ance of  his  porphyry  jardiniere  that  stood  in  the  middle 
of  his  drawing-room,  and  it  was  impossible  not  to  be 
won  by  the  extreme  condescension  and  kindness  that 
was  shown.  We  dined  in  a  narrow  gallery,  and 
the  company  consisted  of  about  sixty  or  eighty  per- 
sons. I  sat,  as  usual,  next  to  the  Queen,  whose 
conversation  is  always  lively  and  affable :  but  the 
place  is  a  little  nervous,  for  the  dinner  is  served  a 
la  Busse,  and  the  large  dishes  are  always  handed 
round  for  each  guest  to  help  himself.  It  being 
etiquette  that  nothing  can  be  offered  between  her 
Majesty  and  her  next  neighbour,  it  happens  that  a 
great  fish  or  an  immense  piece  of  beef  (with  all  its 
garniture)  is  presented  over  your  right  shoulder,  and 
you  have  either  to  run  the  risk,  by  helping  yourself 
with  your  left*  hand,  of  throwing  it  over  the  table  or 
over  her  Majesty,  or  to  do  what  is  not  a  little  annoy- 
ing with  a  good  appetite,  send  the  dish  away. 

This  day,  however,  I  was  lucky  in  being  reduced 
to  neither  alternative,  as  the  countess  Fouchet  sat 
next  to  me  on  the  other  side,  and  literally  took  care 
of  me  as  she  would  have  done  of  a  child.  This 
Swedish  lady  (a  widow)  had  just  married  one  of  the 
Due  d'Otranto's  sons,  who,  with  his  brother,  after  Na- 
poleon's fall,  entered  into  the  Swedish  service.  Mar- 
shal Ney's  boys,  who  came  to  Stockholm  at  the  same 
period,  had  returned  to  France,  and  are  now  in  Louis 
Philippe's  army.  The  eldest  married  the  heiress 
Mademoiselle  la  Fitte,  whose  father  some  time  after- 
wards became  bankrupt.     A  fine  trait  of  this  young 


74 


OTHER    VISITS    TO    THE    KING, 


CONVERSATION    WITH    HIS    MAJESTY. 


75 


man  deserves  to  be  recorded.  M.  la  Fitte,  at  the 
time  of  marriage,  bad  all  tbe  writings  prepared  to 
settle  on  young  Ney  one  of  tbe  most  magnificent  estates 
he  possessed ;  the  bridegroom  elect,  in  tbe  ardour  of  bis 
passion,  and  never  dreaming  of  the  uncertain  position 
of  almost  all  who  engage  in  large  speculations  and  ex- 
tended banking  or  mercantile  pursuits,  destroyed  tbe 
documents,  expressing  indignation  that  be  could  be 
suspected  of  attachment  to  tbe  young  lady  from  in- 
terested motives.  When  the  failure  of  tbe  house  at 
Paris  took  place,  tbe  above  estate,  which  would  have 
been  safe  had  it  been  possessed  by  young  Ney,  was 
one  of  tbe  first  objects  seized  by  tbe  creditors. 

After  dinner,  at  the  villa,  the  King  paraded  us 
through  all  tbe  upper  rooms,  in  which  he  bad  collect- 
ed various  objets  of  vertu.  He  showed  me  a  statue 
of  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden,  and  I  could  not  lielp  ob- 
serving that  tlie  pendant  for  it  would  be  Charles  XIV. 
Going  accidentally  tbe  following  morning  to  a  fa- 
mous Swedish  sculptor,  I  found  the  King  was  actually 
sitting  for  tbe  very  purpose.  Our  last  royal  dinner 
was  at  tbe  palace,  tbe  day  before  we  sailed  for  Peters- 
burgh,  and  I  cannot  help  recording  tbe  extreme  kind- 
ness of  his  Majesty,  who  insisted  on  our  company  at 
tbe  palace  every  day  we  were  not  engaged  elsewhere. 

At  tbe  last  repast  we  were  shown  tbe  interior  of 
the  Queen's  apartments  and  tbe  statue  gallery,  which 
was  lighted  up  purposely  for  us  to  inspect  a  splen- 
did vase  of  green  jasper,  which  had  just  arrived 
from  Russia,  as  a  present  to  Cliarles  Jean  from  the 
Emperor  Nicholas.     It  was  placed  at  the  end  of  tbe 


«t 


gallery,  and  was  indeed  a  rare  specimen  both  of 
nature  and  of  art.  In  tbe  gallery  itself  there  are  but 
few  remarkable  objects,  except  two  or  three  statues  by 
Canova,  (La  Danseuse  and  others,)  and  a  fine  one  of 
Paris  by  a  celebrated  Swedish  sculptor.  Tbe  collec- 
tion, however,  is  in  its  infancy,  and,  as  is  tbe  case 
with  all  bis  institutions,  tbe  King  is  using  every  eflfort 
to  improve  it. 

This  evening  I  had  two  hours'  very  interesting  con- 
versation with  bis  Majesty;  be  dwelt  much  on  the 
transactions  leading  to  bis  having  been  selected  for 
the  throne  of  Sweden.  He  laid  great  stress  upon  par- 
ticular conversations  be  bad  in  Paris  in  1815  with 
the  late  Marquis  of  Londonderry.  I  replied,  that 
although  employed  at  that  epoch,  I  was  not  aware  of 
all  the  confidential  business  transacted.  I  added,  that 
I  hoped  his  Majesty's  power  in  Norway  was  now 
entirely  consolidated.  Tbe  King  dwelt  long  on  the 
policy  of  England  supporting  liis  present  power,  and 
increasing,  by  every  opportunity,  tbe  strength  of  bis 
kingdom.  I  urged  his  Majesty  much  on  tbe  expediency 
of  allowing  Prince  Oscar  to  visit  England,  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  our  leading  characters,  and  to  establish 
a  personal  interest,  which  would  not  fail  of  being 
useful  to  him  hereafter.  The  King  promised  he 
should  do  so,  accompanied  by  bis  eldest  son. 

Various  other  interesting  topics  were  broached,  but 
in  delicacy  and  justice  I  cannot  record  them  ;  and  when 
I  finally  took  leave  of  this  extraordinary  monarch,  he 
embraced  me  as  if  I  bad  been  bis  kindest,  or,  as  what 
I  really  am  become,  one  of  his  most  sincere  and  cordial 
friends. 


76 


UNEXPKCTKO    OCCURKENCE. 


I  must  now  turn  to  a  moment  of  regret,  as  the  pe- 
riod approached  for  our  departure  from  the  place 
where  we  had  experienced  so  mucli  pleasure  and 
attention. 

On  our  first  arrival  at  Stockholm,  we  were  much 
perplexed  as  to  the  future  progress  of  our  journey  to  St. 
Petersburg!!.  We  had  been  strongly  advised  ori- 
ginally to  go  from  Lubeck  to  St.  Petersburo:h,  as  I 
have  before  stated,  thus  avoiding  all  the  harassing 
land  journey  through  Denmark  and  Sweden,  and  the 
still  worse  travelling  through  Finland.  I  resisted  this 
opinion,  and  certainly  was  largely  recompensed.  But 
I  was  not  the  less  sensibly  alive  to  the  inconveniences 
of  any  steam-boat,  and  more  so  of  a  very  inferior 
vessel,  the  only  one  that  is  now  established  between 
Stockholm  and  Abo. 

It  was,  however,  our  good  fortune  to  be  relieved 
from  further  difficulties,  in  the  most  agreeable  man- 
ner, by  an  occurrence  as  unlooked  for  as  opportune. 

The  Count  Potocki  was  recently  nominated  Russian 
envoy  at  the  court  of  Stockholm,  and  he  arrived  in  the 
Emperor's  beautiful  steam-yacht,  the  Isora,  some  days 
preceding  our   intended    departure.     His   excellency 
heard  of  our  destination,  and  knowing  the  Emperor  of 
Russia's  kind  disposition  towards  us,  he  immediately 
placed    this    splendid    conveyance   at  our   disposal, 
stating  that  he  would  take  all  the  responsibility  on 
himself,  being  persuaded  that  the  Emperor  would  wish 
him  to  act  as  his  own  inclinations  prompted.     Count 
Potocki,  having  been  the  Emperor  Alexander's  aide- 
de-camp,  was  an  old  friend  of  mine  in   1814,  and  he 


ROYAL    STEAM-YACHT. 


77 


renewed  this  intimacy  with  such  fresh  proofs  of  regard, 
that  I  owe  him  a  great  debt  of  gratitude. 

Here  we  were,  then,  put  into  possession  at  once  of 
what  might  be  termed  a  floating  palace.  We  imme- 
diately proceeded  on  board  with  the  count  to  inspect 
ft.  It  was  fitted  up  with  silk,  the  finest  mahogany 
and  satin  woods,  and  had  been  prepared  for  the  Em- 
press. There  is  no  luxury  connected,  however,  with 
the  misery  of  being  on  board  a  ship,  that  this  steam- 
boat does  not  possess. 

Count  Potocki  only  added  one  condition  to  my  ac- 
ceptance of  this  accommodation,  and  that  was  to  me 
a  most  agreeable  one,  viz.,  that  I  should  consider  my- 
self as  entire  director  of  the  vessel,  as  long  as  I  remained 
on  board,  and  that  I  should  have  the  officers  at  my 
table.  I  had  reason  afterwards  to  be  delighted  with 
this  arrangement,  as  I  never  met  with  ten  more  gen- 
tlemenlike  men,  some  of  whom  spoke  English.  The 
captain  was  not  in  this  number,  but  he  was  so  intelli- 
gent, and  so  kind,  that  we  imbibed  a  real  interest  for 
him,  and  so  high-minded  that  no  consideration  would 
induce  him  to  accept  the  least  Souvenir  of  our  obliga- 
tions. He  made  us  understand  that  he  was  largely 
and  liberally  remunerated  by  the  Emperor,  and  it  was 
strictly  prohibited  to  receive  presents. 

On  board  the  Isora,  besides  the  immediate  officers, 
was  a  Mr.  Smith,  director-general  of  the  steam-boats 
at  Petersburgh,  an  Englishman  :  able  in  his  profession, 
he  has  nearly  adopted  Russia  as  his  country,  induced 
by  the  confidence  placed  in  him  by  the  Emperor. 
There  was  also  a  Mr.  Balir,   a  clever  Swedish  em- 


') 


H 


78 


OUR    FELLOW    PASSENGERS. 


DEPARTURE    FROM    SWEDEN. 


79 


ploye  going  on  government  business  to  Petersburgh, 
and  the  physician  of  a  Russian  vessel  which  had  just 
made  a  voyage  round  the  world ;  and  on  accomplisli- 
ing  the  undertaking  and  arriving  at  Stockholm,  this 
ship  was  looked  upon  with  great  interest. 

We  derived  much  advantage  from  the  society  of  the 
above  individuals,  but,  beyond  all,  I  should  particularise 
the  Russian  General  Suchteln,  who  was  returning 
home.  This  officer  is  the  son  of  the  distinguished 
General  Suchteln,  for  so  long  a  period  ambassador 
from  Russia  to  Charles  Jean.  From  the  high  favour 
in  which  the  father  was  held,  the  best  criterion  of  his 
merits  may  be  drawn  :  his  recent  death  had  called  the 
young  general  to  Stockholm  to  settle  his  affairs.  The 
ambassador  had  a  most  \aluable  library,  which  was 
purchased  by  the  Emperor,  and  was  embarked  on 
board  of  the  Isora  for  St.  Petersburgli.  General  Such- 
teln, who  was  our  fellow  voyager,  had  been  much 
employed  in  the  Turkish  campaign  ;  he  was  a  delight- 
ful person,  well  informed  upon  every  subject,  of  the 
greatest  use  to  us  while  on  board,  and  afterwards  on 
our  arrival,  where  an  intimacy  was  fortunately  estab- 
lished between  us. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th,  we  sailed  from  Stock- 
holm :  we  were  attended  at  an  early  hour,  eight 
o'clock,  on  board  the  steamer  by  Count  Potocki,  who, 
introducing  me  to  all  the  officers,  installed  me, 
as  it  were,  into  the  command  of  the  ship.  In 
order  also  to  evince  greater  respect  and  considera- 
tion for  us,  the  Austrian,  American,  and  French 
ministers  were  all  present  on  the  occasion  of  our  de- 


parture. The  British  charge  d'affaires,  Mr.  Bloom- 
field,  carried  us  to  the  quay  in  his  carriage,  our  own 
being  aboard.  The  place  of  embarkation  .was  crowded 
with  gazers:  the  Imperial  flag  was  hoisted  at  the 
main  and  stern,  and  the  vessel  got  under  weigli 
under  the  salutes  of  tlie  batteries.  A  few  days  of  very 
unfavourable  weather  occurred  before  we  bade  adieu 
to  Sweden.  We  dreaded  a  continuation  of  the 
storms  and  east  winds,  but  fortunately  it  veered  to 
the  south-west,  and  we  were  favoured  during  our 
wliole  voyage  with  the  most  heavenly  weather  imagi- 
nable. 

I  have  already  attempted  to  describe  Stockholm, 
but  as  it  faded  from  our  sight,  the  rapid  succession 
of  picturesque  islands,  the  roar  of  the  gun  which  an- 
nounced the  pilot  aboard,  the  succession  of  ships 
sailing  up  for  the  port,  the  numerous  fishing-boats, 
all  united  to  make  us  remain  on  the  deck  of  our 
superb  vessel,  which  glided  through  the  waters  with- 
out the  least  apparent  motion,  until  it  was  nearly 
dark.  Dinner  in  the  chief  cabin  was  then  served,  the 
ladies  occupying  the  state  apartments. 


\, 


80 


THE    VOYAGE. 


INTraCATE    NAVIGATION. 


81 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Tlie  Voyage— Intricate  Navigation— Cronstadt— Its  Fortifications 
— The  Russian  Fleet — Approach  to  Petersburgh. 

In  making  this  voyage  to   Petersburgh,  it  is  almost 
possible  to  coast  the  whole  way  between  the  Swedish 
and  Russian  islands  that  intervene,  without  plunging 
into  the   main   ocean ;    and  by  skirting  the  Gulf  of 
Bothnia,   keeping   near  Aland,  and  sailing  close  in- 
shore  in  the  Gulf  of  Finland,  you   may  accomplish 
the   passage    almost  without    losing   sight   of  land. 
This  arrangement  was  so  agreeable,   and  the  captain 
of  the  Isora  was  so  desirous  of  doing  what  we  wished, 
that  he  determined  to  anchor  every  night  amongst 
the  islands,  and  give  us  a  sailing  trip  of  as   much 
enjoyment  as  possible  ;  and  thus,  in  every  respect,  it 
turned  out.     So  still  were  the  waters,  so  lovely  the 
weather,  that  we  sat   on  deck  the  greater  part  of  the 
day,  and  read,  or  wrote,  or  worked,   to  occupy   the 
time,    as  if  we   had   been   residing   in  a  palace  on 
shore. 


: 


I 


By  the  14th  we  had  run  to  the  branch  of  the  main 
ocean,  and  anchored  at  sunset.  On  the  25th  we  made 
the  offing  of  Aland,  having  passed  the  Gulf  of  Both- 
nia.  On  the  16th  we  ran  on  all  night  up  to  the  Gulf 
of  Finland,  where  there  is  no  intricate  navigation,  and 
where  pilots  become  unnecessary ;  and  we  landed  on 
the  granite  quays  of  the  Neva  on  the  17th,  in  the 
morning. 

During  the  first  two  days  I  think  we  had  to  make 
use  of  no  less  than  thirty  different  pilots,  each  direct- 
ing the  course  of  the  vessel  for  not  more  than  thirty 
miles.  Why  there  should  not  be  regular  pilots  at 
Stockholm  for  navigating  vessels  to  the  main  ocean, 
instead  of  subjecting  vessels  to  the  inconvenience  of  a 
change  at  each  island,  (like  a  relay  of  post-horses,)  I 
cannot  understand.  The  intricacy  of  the  navigation 
IS,  no  doubt,  extreme ;  and  if  proper  measures  were 

taken,  and  the  advantages  of  nature  seconded  by  art, 

if  judicious  batteries  and  fortifications  were  construct- 
ed, it  would  be  hardly  possible  for  any  hostile  fleet  to 
reach  Stockholm  unless  aided  by  troops  in  very  con- 
siderable numbers  on  the  land  side,  and  thus  Sweden, 
without  any  great  outlay,  might  render  herself  secure 
from  any  naval  armament  collected  at  Aland. 

The  last  day's  sail  was  attended  with  a  little  change 
in  our  recreations.  The  captain  and  officers  allowed 
the  Russian  sailors  to  sing  and  dance  for  our  amuse- 
ment after  sunset.  The  inharmonious  sounds  and 
curious  antics  of  these  northern  mariners  are,  for  the 
first  time,  strange  to  behold  ;  but  you  soon  get  used  to 

VOL.  I. 


I    > 


1  I 


82 


CRONSTADT. 


tliem,  so  that  the  former    become  not  disagreeable, 
thoug-h  the  latter  can  never  be  attractive. 

When  the  entertainment  was  over,  the  captain 
thought  he  heard  signals  of  a  ship  in  distress  ;  I  say 
thought  or  fancied,  as  I  am  not  sure  he  did  not  make 
this  little  feint  to  display  the  beauty  of  his  night  sig- 
nals, blue  and  red  lights,  rockets,  &c.  In  short,  after 
an  hour's  exhibition,  having  had  a  delightful  display 
of  fire- works,  we  had  no  responding  signal  from  any 
quarter. 

Our  eagerness  to  behold  Cronstadt  made  us  come 
on  deck  very  early  on  the  16th.  The  day  was  heavenly, 
and  we  approached  the  singular  fortress,  which  rises 
like  a  mass  of  colossal  strength  out  of  the  waters  (nearly 
unperceived)  until  you  are  close  under  its  innume- 
rable batteries,  upon  the  extremity  of  the  Island  of 
Rotline.  This  fortress  of  Cronstadt  was  first  established 
by  Peter  the  Great.  It  stands  nearly  on  an  entire 
bank  of  sand,  forming  an  irregular  triangle ;  it  is  de- 
fended from  the  sea  by  countless  batteries,  and  from  the 
side  of  the  island  by  a  canal,  which  forms  the  base  of 
the  triangle.  There  are  on  it  about  ten  thousand 
houses,  stone  and  brick,  and  several  churches.  The  go- 
vernment has  many  establishments  within  the  town. 
One  large  edifice  is  fitted  up  for  the  pilots  who  navi- 
gate the  Baltic.  Another  handsome  palace  is  occu- 
pied by  Prince  Menchicoff,  who  commands  the  navy, 
at  the  top  of  which  building  is  a  telegraph,  that  com- 
municates direct  with  the  Emperor  at  Peterhoff  and 
Petersburgh.  There  are  between  thirty  and  forty 
thousand  inhabitants  in  the  place,  English  settlers. 


ITS    FORTIFICATIONS. 


83 


The  fortress  advances  far  into  the  sea.  The  mili- 
tary and  naval  port  can  hold  forty  vessels  of  the  first 
class.  The  middle  port,  or  basin,  contains  not  only 
vessels  of  war,  but  also  merchantmen.  It  is  as  large 
as  the  other ;  and  the  third  port  can  receive  at  least 
a  thousand  ships  of  inferior  tonnage ;  three  hundred 
pieces  of  cannon  are  mounted  on  the  outward  port. 
It  is  remarkable  that,  during  the  whole  winter,  Cron- 
stadt is  always  frozen  up,  the  traffic  on  the  bay  to 
St.  Petersburgh  being  on  the  ice.  Armies  have 
marched  (and  even  been  bivouacked  during  their 
progress)  from  the  city  to  the  fortress.  The  bay  is 
frozen  over  in  general  at  the  end  of  November,  and 
no  vessel  is  afterwards  free  or  can  get  away  before 
April  in  the  following  year. 

The  Imperial  fleet,  which  had  been  exercising  under 
the  Emperor's  orders  in  the  Gulf  and  in  the  Baltic, 
had  recently  returned  into  port.  The  ships  had  gone 
into  dock,  and  were  laid  up  in  ordinary  for  the  win- 
ter. Not  having  landed  at  the  fortress,  my  descrip- 
tion wants  details,  and  must  be  imperfect.  The  island 
appears,  from  the  sea,  a  mass  of  bastions,  curtains, 
and  outworks,  all  of  solid  granite.  On  everj-  side  are 
embrasures  ;  and  not  only  do  the  batteries  appear  to 
embrace  in  their  range  a  complete  cross-fire,  but  they 
likewise  seem  so  constructed  as  to  bring  a  concentred 
fire  on  the  deepest  channel.  The  large  flanking 
battery  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine  on  one  side, 
and  the  new  works  now  establishing,  which  were  pro- 
jected by  the  Emperor  Alexander,  on  the  other,  give 
an  impression  that  Russia  has  determined  that  this 

g2 


1  ^^ 


>i 


N 


84 


THE    RUSSIAN    FLEET. 


point  should,  as  far  as  possible,  be  invulnerable.  The 
men-of-war  were  ranged,  without  top-masts,  in  their 
several  basins.  In  the  outer  port,  described  above, 
I  was  told  there  were  thirty  sail  of  the  line,  three- 
deckers,  and  fifty-six  armed  vessels  of  all  descriptions. 
This  fleet  had  been  at  sea,  and  it  must  be  allowed  it 
was  a  very  formidable  armament  in  time  of  peace. 

The  Emperor  Nicholas  had  imbibed  a  great  passion 
for  maritime  power  and  strength,  and  had  plunged 
very  deeply  into  every  measure,  plan,  and  considera- 
tion for  increasing  his  navy. 

The  comprehensive  mind  of  his  brother  Alexander 
had  been  mainly  occupied  with  military  considera- 
tions in  the  arduous  era  of  difficulties  and  warfare  in 
which  he  lived,  when  he  so  magnanimously  headed 
and  mainly  contributed  to  that  great  European  alliance 
which  overthrew  the  power  of  Napoleon.  Twenty 
years'  peace  had  enabled  the  Emperor  Nicholas  to 
turn  all  due  energies  to  his  navy,  and  a  powerful  effect 
has  been  produced  in  the  maritime  efficiency  of  this 
great  empire. 

I  am  not  qualified  to  pronounce  an  opinion  on  the 
state  of  the  ships,  the  warlike  stores,  nor  accurately 
to  state  the  real  strength  of  Cronstadt :  all  that  I  can 
add  is,  that  it  appeared  to  me,  en  passant,  impreg- 
nable. 

An  interesting  work  of  some  twenty  or  thirty  pages 
on  this  subject  fell  into  my  hands,  written  by  H.  W. 
Craufurd,  commander  in  the  royal  navy.  He  seems 
to  have  had,  in  this  year,  great  opportunities  of  form- 
ing a  correct  opinion  of  the  Russian  ffeet,  and  of  the 


THE    RUSSIAN    FLEKT. 


85 


fortifications  at  Cronstadt ;  and  I  strongly  recommend 
my  readers  to  refer  to  his  short  pamphlet. 

The  remarkable  part  of  this  publication  is  the  un- 
doubted authority,  from  the  Emperor  Nicholas's  own 
lips,  that  he  makes  no  secret  as  to  the  existing  state 
of  his  navy,  and  that  he  courts  publicity ;  this  1  can 
also  attest  from  his  Imperial  Majesty's  sentiments  con- 
veyed to  myself. 

Captain  Craufurd  then  adds  a  characteristic  testi- 
mony of  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  in  which  I  most  cor- 
dially join.  He  writes,  "  I  owe  much  to  the  Em- 
peror Nicholas  for  his  gracious  reception  of  me,  and 
his  desire  (sometimes  even  personally)  to  give  me  in- 
formation connected  with  the  fleet ;  and  I  must  say 
that  he  was  better  informed  as  to  everything  (no 
matter  how  minute)  relating  to  it  than  other  person 
with  whom  I  conversed  upon  the  subject.  He  is  a 
man  of  great  talent^  of  immense  activity,  and  of  en- 
larged and  highly  liberal  views  as  regards  the  welfare 
and  gradual  advancement  in  the  scale  of  civilisation 
of  the  middle  and  lower  classes  of  his  own  subjects." 

Captain  Craufurd  then  states  the  fleet  at  Cronstadt. 


3  Three  deckers 
6  Two  deckers 

18 . 

17    . 


110  guns 
74  — 

74   — 
44    — 


No  doubt  a  most  formidable  fleet.  And  what,  then, 
does  Captain  Craufurd  in  conclusion  declare  ?  "  My 
remarks  have  not  been  directed  against  Russia,  or  her 
fleet,  in  which  I  was  received  with  kindness  and  hos- 
pitality, but  against  my  own  country,  to  reproach  her 


I 


tf 


I 


1  4 


86 


APPROACH    TO    ST.    PETERSBURGH. 


for  the  injurious  economy,  the  parsimony,  which  has 
led  to  the  present  reduced  state  of  her  navy,  and  to 
induce  her,  by  drawing  her  attention  to  the  superior 
and  increasing  force  of  another  power,  to  alter  her 
system  before  it  is  too  late." 

But  to  return.  We  were  boarded  off  the  fortress  of 
Cronstadt  by  the  governor's  barge,  the  commander  of 
which,  hearing  who  was  on  board,  of  which  he  had 
received  a  previous  notice,  did  not  delay  us  a  mo- 
ment; and  although  we  feared  being  stopped  at 
Cronstadt,  from  the  Isora  drawing  more  water  than 
the  state  of  the  tide  then  furnished  on  the  bar  of 
sand  that  crosses  the  channel,  the  same  good  luck 
that  attended  us  during  our  voyage  did  not  desert 
us  at  its  close ;  we  cleared  the  bar  by  an  inch  or  two 
by  a  dexterous  manoeuvre  of  the  captain,  who  brought 
all  the  men  aft,  and  thus  enabled  the  prow  of  the 
vessel  to  clear  the  impediment.  Had  we  been  stopped, 
we  should  have  been  under  the  necessity  of  embark- 
ing in  another  hired  small  steamer,  and,  with  the  in- 
convenience of  shifting  carriages  and  baggage,  we 
should  probably  not  have  arrived  that  day  at  St. 
Petersburgh. 

After  passing  Cronstadt,  the  objects  prominent  on 
the  coast  are  Oranienbaum,  a  palace  of  the  Grand 
Duke  Michael's,  and  the  magnificent  fumade,  gardens, 
and  grounds  of  Peterhof,  which  gorgeous  mansion  of 
Peter  the  Great  rises  proudly  to  view. 

But  the  sailing  up  the  branch  of  the  Neva,  whicli 
now  opens  upon  St.  Petersburgh,  is  not  generally 
striking.      The  city  seems  below  you ;  the  flat  sur- 


APPROACH    TO    ST.    PETERSBURGH. 


87 


rounding  low  marshy  ground  produces  a  cold  ap- 
pearance. You  behold,  it  is  true,  the  lofty  gilded 
spire  of  the  Admiralty,  the  varied  colours  of  innu- 
merable domes  and  large  white  fronts  of  rows  of 
fine- built  houses,  but  there  is  a  nakedness  in  the 
aspect  which  first  proclaims  the  capital  of  the  north. 
The  vessel  bent  its  way  through  crowds  of  steam-boats 
and  craft  of  all  kinds.  The  banks  of  the  river  are 
covered  with  wooden  magazines  and  depots  for  all  the 
merchandise  brought  to  this  great  emporium  ;  in  ad- 
dition, you  pass  along  all  the  great  store-houses  of  the 
government,  the  docks  covered  in  for  building  ships 
of  the  largest  class  and  dimensions  during  winter ; 
besides,  the  endless  manufactories  and  the  establish- 
ments of  the  great  national  institutions  all  attract 
your  eye ;  but,  notwithstanding  all  this  display  of 
enterprise,  wealth,  and  commerce,  there  is  an  inde- 
scribable vacuum,  and  something  wanting  to  make  the 
picture  complete. 

The  Isora  arrived  high  up  the  Neva,  and  anchored 
alongside  the  English  quay. 


\ 


ti. 


^ 


88 


THE    RUSSIAN    EMPIRE. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Russian  Empire — Facility  of  visiting  it — Search  for  a  Resi- 
dence— St.  Petersburgh — Magnificent  Public  Buildings— Im- 
provements in  Petersburgh— Divisions  of  the  City — Church  of 
St.  Peter — Palace  of  Tauride — Public  Institutions — The  City 
Revenue — Theatres  and  Promenades — The  English  Club. 

To  give  the  reader  any  faithful  or  adequate  de- 
scription of  St.  Petersburgh  and  the  Russian  empire 
is  a  task  of  real  difficulty.  Much  has  been  written 
on  the  subject,  and  various  authors  have  offered  to  the 
public  histories  of  the  early  days  of  Russia,  as  also  of 
her  modern  and  actual  position  ;  but,  notwithstanding 
all  that  has  been  published,  I  conceive  the  English 
nation  to  be  greatly  ignorant  of  this  mighty  power. 
It  is  believed  by  the  mass  of  my  countrymen  that 
civilisation  is  still  much  behindhand  in  the  northern 
clime — that  manners  and  habits  are  assimilated  more 
to  Oriental  barbarism  than  to  the  refinement  of  mo- 
dern Europe.  In  these  notions  they  are  entirely  in 
error ;  and  I  will  venture  to  assert  that  there  exists 
as  much  natural  and  artificial  refinement  in  Russia 
as  in  any  other  country  in  the  world. 

Upon  sentiments  or  opinions,  however,  with  regard 


lpjiW«M«>wii!iiU'  f 


FACILITY    OF    VISITING    IT. 


89 


to  this  nation,  there  is  now  no  need  of  disputation. 
Every  one  can  in  six  days,  since  the  discovery  of  the 
power  of  steam,  transport  himself  into  this  singularly 
gifted  country,  and  can  judge  for  Himself.  The 
traveller  that  has  so  often  trodden  the  beaten  track 
of  trips  to  the  Rhine,  Switzerland,  the  Tyrol,  and  the 
more  sunny  paths  to  France,  the  Alps,  Rome,  and 
Naples,  can  now  bend  his  steps  with  more  rapid 
course  and  equal  convenience  to  St.  Petersburgh, 
Moscow,  and  the  interior  of  Russia.  I  feel  satisfied 
that  he  will  be  amply  repaid  for  his  labour.  A  few 
years  must  demonstrate  incontrovertibly  what  the 
resources  and  actual  position  of  this  empire  are ;  any 
attempt  therefore  to  compress  a  real  picture  of  them 
in  the  few  pages  that  are  about  to  occupy  me, 
would  be  as  vain  as  unsatisfactory.  Besides,  I  have 
neither  the  research  nor  the  knowledge  necessary  for 
such  a  purpose ;  neither  have  I  sufficient  time 
at  my  command,  and  I  am  too  sensible  of  the 
insufficiency  of  my  powers,  to  grapple  with  so  pro- 
foundly vast  a  subject.  What  I  now  write,  there- 
fore, must  be  understood  as  simply  the  passing 
observations  of  a  traveller  during  a  few  months' 
residence  in  Russia. 

It  will  undoubtedly  affi)rd  me  satisfaction  hereafter 
to  look  back  to  memoranda  of  a  period  in  which  I 
derived  more  pleasure,  was  more  deeply  interested, 
and  more  honourably  and  magnificently  treated,  not 
only  by  the  highest  personage  of  the  Russian  empire, 
but  by  every  individual  with  whom  I  came  in  contact 


r 


iM 


1  I 


90 


SEARCH    FOR    A    RESIDENCE. 


during  my  abode  in  it,  than  I  had  ever  been  in  any 
other  place  or  period  of  my  life. 

The  matchless  granite  quays  of  the  Neva  produce 
the  strongest  effect  upon  the  beholder.  I  looked  for 
houses,  palaces,  and  public  buildings  of  the  same 
magnificent  material,  but  in  this  respect  there  was  a 
falling  off.  On  inquiry,  I  found  that  the  public 
buildings  were  of  brick  covered  with  stucco,  and  that 
they  were  washed  with  lime  yearly,  and  often 
monthly.  This  was  a  change  in  what  my  imagina- 
tion had  painted  of  the  edifices  of  this  capital.  But 
more  on  this  point  hereafter.  I  had  written  to  St. 
Petersburgh  for  a  house  or  lodgings,  •  but  arrived  in 
the  Isora  before  my  letter.  The  post  from  Sweden  to 
Russia  is  carried  by  the  way  of  Abo,  through  the 
islands  and  overland,  in  peasants'  carts :  the  journey 
is  very  long  and  tedious,  but  it  has  its  advantages  in 
winter.  However,  there  is  no  doubt,  from  the  mul- 
tiplication of  steam -boats,  and  the  great  advance 
these  nations  are  making,  that  their  communications 
will  be  more  and  more  improved.  I  landed  from  our 
Imperial  steamer  immediately  on  her  mooring,  and, 
accompanied  by  General  Suchteln  and  Mr.  Balir,  my 
Swedish  friend,  sallied  forth  in  search  of  quarters. 

It  is  difiicult  to  believe  that  this  immense  town  has 
bad  accommodation  for  families  or  travellers  in  the 
Hotels  Garnis.  It  probably  arises  from  so  few 
persons  coming  for  a  short  time  to  Petersburgh. 
Nothing  can  be  on  a  more  uncomfortable  footing  than 
the  inns,  which  are  dirty,  and  without  decent  or  tolera- 


ST.    PETERSBURGH. 


91 


able  beds  or  bedding.  To  add  to  this  annoyance,  the 
Russian  cookery  is  beyond  all  others  the  least  invit- 
ing. I  searched  in  vain,  and  examined  lodgings  and 
hotels.  Five  hours  fled  without  my  being  able  to  find 
a  tolerable  residence :  at  last  I  was  obliged  to  put  up 
with  four  or  five  very  indifferent  rooms  at  the  Hotel 
de  Londres,  vis-a-vis  L^Amiraute. 

The  impression  I  momentarily  received  on  landing 
at  the  English  quay  certainly  damped  my  antici- 
pated admiration  ;  but  I  must  confess  that  when  I 
proceeded  along  it  into  the  great  square,  where  the 
famous  equestrian  statue  of  Peter  the  Great,  on  a 
rock  of  granite,  meets  the  eye,  I  was  overpowered 
with  amazement.  The  immense  scale  upon  which 
the  foundation  of  all  the  public  institutions  has 
been  conceived,  and  the  incredible  powers  that 
have  been  brought  to  bear  to  work  out  the  concep- 
tion, cannot  fail  to  inspire  the  mind  with  astonish- 
ment at  the  genius  of  the  projectors,  and  with 
surpassing  wonder  at  the  almost  superhuman  power 
that  is  carrying  out  and  perfecting  the  designs  which 
this  vast  city  is  destined  to  embrace. 

St.  Petersburgh  is  yet  in  its  cradle.  When  it  is 
remembered  that  since  the  time  when  Peter  the  Great, 
with  energetic  decision,  first  determined  to  raise  this 
capital  amidst  the  swampy  marshes  of  the  Neva,  not  a 
century  and  a  half  have  passed  away  ;  and  when  we  now 
contemplate  it  as  one  of  the  most  colossal  in  idea,  one 
of  the  most  magnificent  in  effect,  and  one  of  the  most 
populous  cities  in  the  world,  the  mind  is  lost  in  as- 
tonisliment  at  all  that  has  been  accomplished. 


' 


92 


MAGNIFICENT    PUBLIC    BUILDINGS. 


From  the  great  square  above  alluded  to,  where  the 
simple  but  emphatic  motto  on  the  statue  I  have  de- 
scribed, erected  by  the  Empress  Catherine,  is  written, 
"  From  Catherine  II.  to  Peter  I.,"  you  immediately 
enter  the  area  of  the  Admiralty.  The  dimensions  of 
this  building  I  had  not  time  to  take  ;  in  itself  it  appears 
a  town.  On  its  extreme  north  flank  it  is  bounded  by 
the  Hermitage  and  the  Palais  d'Hiver,  the  splendid 
abodes  of  the  Imperial  family.  In  the  centre  of  a 
semicircle  opposite  to  these  gorgeous  edifices,  the 
newly-erected  column  in  honour  of  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander is  placed ;  on  the  other  flank  of  the  Admiralty 
the  Emperor  Nicholas  is  now  building  a  gigantic 
church,  which  is  denominated  the  Isaac's  Church, 
and  intended  to  surpass  in  grandeur  St.  Peter's  at 
Rome.  The  columns  of  this  stupendous  cathedral  are 
to  be  fifty-eight  feet  long,  and  of  single  blocks  of  solid 
granite.  There  are  also  to  be  forty-eight  staircases 
of  the  same  polished  material. 

The  first  coup  dCoeil  of  the  capital  of  the  Czars  em- 
braces the  two  enormous  areas  above  described,  the  quays 
of  the  Neva,  the  sumptuous  palaces  of  the  Imperial 
House,  the  unique  and  beautifully  executed  trophies 
to  the  memory  of  Peter  and  Alexander,  the  church 
of  Cazan,  and,  finally,  the  great  and  principal  street 
of  the  city  called  the  Newski  Perspectif,  which  runs 
four  miles  from  about  the  centre  of  the  Admiralty 
building  through  the  heart  of  the  city.  Next  appears 
the  garrison  church  with  its  golden  spire,  which  is 
equally  conspicuous  and  dazzling  with  that  of  the 
Admiralty. 


MAGNIFICENT    PUBLIC    BUILDINGS. 


93 


The  gate  of  Riga,  surmounted  by  the  figure  of 
Victory,  forms  one  of  the  most  striking  entrances  to 
the  city.  I  should  observe  that  the  great  square  of 
the  palace  unites  the  new  council  house  with  the 
manege  of  the  chevalier  garde.  All  the  public 
buildings  are  three  stories  high,  and  the  War  Oflice 
has  five  hundred  windows  in  its  front.  It  is  formed 
in  a  semicircular  line,  and  comprises  all  the  topogra- 
phical departments  and  the  ordnance.  Adjoining 
to  it  are  the  offices  of  finance  and  for  foreign 
affairs. 

In  the  Newski  Perspectif  there  are  churches  de- 
voted to  all  the  religions  in  the  empire— an  empire 
with  between  sixty  and  seventy  millions  of  people, 
with  nineteen  different  languages,  and  nearly  as  many 
sects. 

Another  remarkable  place  is  the  Gastinoidivor, 
called  the  Exchange.  Here  all  the  Jews  are  collected, 
and  you  bargain  for  all  merchandise,  as  you  are 
generally  asked  double  what  will  ultimately  be  taken. 
The  buildings  that  struck  me  most  were  the  New 
Exchange,  the  Custom-house,  the  Academy  of 
Science,  the  establishments  for  the  marines  and 
cadets,  and  many  splendid  palaces  of  the  noblesse. 

The  Gastinoidivor,  or  Grand  Russian  Bazaar,  is 
twelve  hundred  feet  long,  facing  the  Perspectif ;  it 
has  four  sides,  the  shortest  three  hundred  and  fifty 
feet.  It  has  two  stories  with  arcades,  and  was  es- 
tablished by  a  Russian  company,  to  whom  it  belongs. 
There  is  a  continued  range  of  shops  along  the  sides. 
None  but  Russian  merchants  are  permitted  here,  and 


11 


i 


it' 


■ij 


94. 


IMPROVEMENTS    IN     PETERSBURGH. 


the  variety  and  multitude  of  goods  in  wholesale  and 
retail  are  astonishing.  The  whole  building  is  brick, 
but  painted  to  resemble  stone,  and  the  ceilings  are 
vaulted,  coloured  red,  and  varnished.  No  stoves  nor 
chimneys  are  allowed  within  it.  The  only  light 
permitted  is  a  small  lamp  before  each  image  of  the 
Virgin.  The  merchants  have  their  houses  and  their 
kitchens  separate  from  this  establishment.  All  is  shut 
up  at  dark.  The  cold  in  this  place  is  guarded  against 
by  large  cloaks,  bonnets,  boots  and  shoes  of  fur, 
and  tins  of  hot  water  in  the  shops.  Altogether  it  is 
a  most  singular  establishment. 

The  greatest  monuments  of  the  reign  of  Alexander 
at  Petersburgh  are  the  church  of  Notre  Dame  de 
Kasan,  at  the  end  of  the  Newski  Perspectif.  This 
is  built  after  St.  Peter's  at  Rome. 

It  was  in  1804  that  the  city,  by  the  exertions  of 
this  Emperor,  established  a  strict  police :  the 
streets  were  arranged  in  a  more  regular  and  judicious 
plan,  and  fine  trottoirs  perfected.  At  the  same  time 
the  Champ  de  Mars  was  embellished  by  a  beautiful 
bronze  statue  of  Suwarrow,  representing  that  warrior 
on  foot,  armed  as  a  Roman,  holding  his  sword  in  one 
hand  and  shield  in  the  other,  with  which  he  covers 
the  crowns  of  Naples  and  Sardinia.  The  MichaelofF 
palace  was  also  built  in  that  year  for  the  Grand  Duke 
Michael.  The  establishment  of  the  etat  major  geni- 
ral,  and  all  the  departments  of  the  ministry  united, 
are  equally  owing  to  this  monarch. 

The  communication  between  the  two  great  divisions 
of  St.  Petersburgh  is  kept  up  in  summer  by  three 


DIVISIONS    OF    THE    CITY. 


95 


bridges  of  boats  of  considerable  length,  called  the 
Bridge  of  Vapili  ArtrofF,  the  Bridge  of  Petrofski,  and 
Bridge  of  the  Josskreunsk.  There  are  twelve  great 
divisions  of  the  city,  nine  on  the  left  bank  and  three 
on  the  right.  It  is  the  easiest  town  in  the  world  to 
find  your  way  in  as  a  stranger.  The  gilded  spire  of 
the  Admiralty  terminates  the  perspective  of  nearly 
all  the  wide  streets  radiating  to  that  common  centre. 

The  other  splendid  buildings    I  have    to  enume- 
rate,   consist    of    the   New    Theatre,    the    Hotel    de 
Ville,  the  American  and  Catholic  Church,  the  Bank,  the 
Palace  of  Malta,  the  Church  of  St.  Wlademir.     Next, 
numerous  Hospitals ;  the  Palais  of  Tauride  and  Con- 
vent of  Smolna,  the  Academies  of  Arts  and  Sciences, 
the  Public  Library  of  the  Academy,  in  which  are  sixty 
thousand  volumes;  the  Cabinet  of  Medals,  amounting 
to  twelve  or  fourteen  thousand  in  gold  and  silver,  the 
twelve  Colleges  of  the  Empire,  with  their  archives,  &c. 
Then  the  public  edifices  for  the  government  institu- 
tions ;   and  about  a  mile  from  the  city  is  the  Convent  of 
Smolensko,  most  deserving  of  notice.     Here  are  reli- 
gious monuments,  the  inspection  of  which  would  occupy 
almost  a  man's  life  ;  but  the  most  curious  and  best  de- 
serving of  attention  are  placed  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul,  which  was  founded  by  Peter  the  Great. 
The  body  of  this  church  (within  the  great  fortress  of 
St.  Petersburgh)  is  of  brick  with  stone  pillars.     I  saw 
the  sarcophagus  of  Peter  the  Great  and  Catherine  I., 
inscribed  with  the  dates  1725  and  1727 ;  the  Empress 
Anne,    1756;    Elizabeth  and    Catherine,    1780.     In 
short,    every  cofiin  of  every    sovereign  (except   that 


li 


■\ 


96 


CHURCH    OF    ST.    PETER. 


of  Peter  II.,  who  died  at  Moscow,)  is  to  be  seen,  with 
the  date  of  the  decease,  within  tliis  sacred  pile.  The 
interior  of  the  church  is  decorated  with  trophies  taken 
from  the  Turks,  Persians,  Poles,  and  French ;  and  tlie 
keys  of  Warsaw  have  been  also  lately  placed  here,  and 
exhibited  as  objects  of  curiosity  and  interest.  I  must 
not  forget  to  mention  that  near  this  fortress  is  still  to  be 
seen  the  humble  cottage  of  Peter  the  Great,  in  which 
so  much  Russian  pride  and  interest  is  vested.  It  is  a 
small  wooden  house  with  three  chambers ;  around  it 
are  piles  of  mortars,  balls,  and  shells,  arranged  in  py- 
ramidical  heaps. 

The  convent  of  St.  Alexander  Newski  merits  a  more 
minute  description  than  I  can  give  it,  botli  because  of 
tlie  beautiful  representation  of  the  archangels  Michael 
and  Raphael  which  it  contains,  and  for  a  painting,  by 
Raphael  Mengs,  of  the  Annunciation.  There  is  also 
exhibited  a  massive  silver  pyramidal  monument,  which 
is  said  to  weigh  3,250  pounds.  In  the  interior  of  this 
sacred  edifice,  most  of  the  great  men  and  generals  of 
Russia  are  interred.  It  is  a  sort  of  Westminster 
Abbey,  in  which,  amongst  others,  I  saw  the  name  of 
Roumansoff,  Souwarroff,  Miloradovitch. 

The  marble  palace,  an  edifice  also  well  worthy  of 
inspection,  has  not  been  occupied  since  the  death  of  the 
Grand  Duke  Constantine,  to  whom  it  belonged.  It 
is  destined  for  the  Emperor's  second  son.  In  its 
library,  I  understand,  there  were  thirty  thousand 
volumes,  chiefly  on  military  subjects. 

The  palace  of  Tauride,   built  by  Catherine  II.  in 
1783,  is  veiy  remarkable.     It  was  given  by  her  to 


PALACE    OF    TAURTDE. 


97 


Prince  Potemkin.  It  is  of  one  story,  surmounted  by 
an  immense  circular  dome.  It  lias  two  pavilions,  but 
the  centre  is  occupied  by  a  room,  the  most  magnificent 
and  beautiful  that  exists,  in  the  form  of  a  cross.  The 
cupola  to  this  enormous  saloon  is  supported  by  nume- 
rous pillars  of  two  feet  and  a  half  in  diameter.  When 
fetes  are  given  here  by  the  Imperial  family,  they  are 
in  a  style  of  fairy  encliantment. 

The  number  of  houses  in  Petersburgh  is  estimated 
at  about  nine  tliousand,  of  which  four  thousand  only 
are  of  stone  or  brick.  The  suburbs  of  the  city  are  in 
wood,  mostly  painted  and  of  different  colours,  which 
look  wretched  in  snow,  but  cold  and  gay  in  summer. 

The  hospitals  and  military  and  naval  surgical  aca- 
demies are  on  a  most  extensive  scale ;  nor  can  any  in- 
stitutions be  better  directed,  or  more  carefully  attended 
to.     They  are  under  tlie  direction  of  a  most  able  and 
excellent  man,  late  physician  to  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander, a  Scotchman  by  birth,  Dr.  Sir  A.  Wylie.     He 
entered  eaily  into  the  service  of  Russia,  and  by  his 
own  talents  and  assiduity  not  only  marked  himself 
out  for  universal  approbation,  but  was  placed  in  the 
family  of  the  late  Emperor,  and  was  with  him  at  the 
time  of  his  death.     I  visited  the  hospitals  with  this 
kind  and  valued  friend,  who,  when  I  was  wounded  in 
the  thigh  by  a  shell  at  the  battle  of  Culm,  showed  me 
a  care  and  attention  which  I  can  never  forget.     I  un- 
derstand he  has  written  some  very  valuable  and  in- 
teresting details  of  the  last  moments  of  the  Emperor 
Alexander,  which  will  be  deeply  interesting  if  they 
are  ever  given  to  the  public. 


VOL.    I. 


II 


JN 


I  ; 


98 


PUBLIC    INSTITUTIONS. 


The  hospital  of  Vyboiirg,  which  I  saw  in  all  its  de- 
tails, contains  three  thousand  patients ;  many  of  the 
others  are  on  the  same  extensive  scale.  These  sur- 
gical academies  are  devoted  to  the  instruction  of 
young  men  for  the  medical  profession.  There  were 
four  hundred  students  in  that  which  I  visited. 

The  Imperial  University  of  St.  Petersburgh  is  not 
in  so  high  a  state  of  perfection  as  that  of  Moscow, 
having  been  more  recently  established.  It  numbers, 
however,  about  one  thousand  instructors,  and  eight  or 
nine  thousand  students. 

The  establishment  of  Les  Jeunes  Demoiselles  de 
Smolna,  and  that  of  the  Order  of  St.  Catherine,  are 
upon  the  same  system  and  plan  as  those  at  Moscow.  Un- 
doubtedly the  Demoiselles  de  TOrdre  deSt.  Catherine, 
from  the  intimate  surveillance  of  the  Empress  herself, 
stands  pre-eminently  the  most  distinguished.  I  heard 
at  this  seminary,  that,  since  its  commencement,  one 
thousand  five  hundred  young  persons  had  been  per- 
fected in  every  branch  of  education,  four  hundred 
gratis,  six  hundred  paid  for  by  their  relations,  and 
five  hundred  at  the  expense  of  different  members  of 
the  Imperial  family. 

I  am  aware  there  are  many  other  public  institutions 
which  I  ought  to  particularise,  but  they  did  not  come 
under  my  immediate  notice:  the  Establisliment  for 
the  Deaf  and  Dumb,  the  College  for  Commercial  Navi- 
gation and  Agriculture,  with  the  Science  of  Hus- 
bandry, are  upon  equally  eligible  plans;  also  the 
Foundling  Hospital.  There  is  also  a  manufactory  of 
playing-cards,  which  (strange  to  say)  gives  employ- 


L  /  Tits  Adwvirnlfv 
<?.  The  l¥i%TZi:y  falaure 
•?  The  Brrrnvtoj^e 
i^Tkfnh'c  pf  ihe  Bamtiiouiie 

7  7Tu  Cantf  cU  tMars 

8  The  FavMsTc  jBaj^acki 
S.The  Genet-oU  L'lal  Major 

/C.  jliexanderi  Ca^wmtv . 
//  ra.th^^i-a 7  cf i'^" Isa,ou  . 
J2.  McTut-wirnl  of  Feter  ike  Oyeal 
JS  7 he  SbvM*  Hrwse 
]!L/4  /7te  t  'a/k^drcU  cfi  wr  Leufy  of  A 
iS Ih^,  0}cind  Thea/ire 
/f  7'ke  Seff3ttrHj  S.^  JmhcUbf  . 

/9.Coitiiclic  Church 
Z(J.  Th^  JVewMtkhcaicf  FaZace 
2l.Thi-  /JJd        A\  d' 

i^2The ^lyrvmer  Occrdeiu 
^l  Thr  Aifi^ichkcf  Fadcuf 
U  The  Tkealr*. . 


as  on 


^MCki/rck  r/th^  /'rrl^c'.i.'n  i!  /w  hr^cn 
¥  IS.  TnuntfhaiJrth 

/?f  Cajthartrunhof 
'U.ZS.JrsfHAljfliu  F.f^^c/'Stnt'nn/^fC'vuii.rds. 

29.  Churrh  of  Fia^ittuY 
VU.J^  IJu  ArseMbl 

ilThf  Foiauiery 

3P  ThtCaUhenru  Insti^uiMK 

3i .  Hcs/jifal  for  llu  ^fk  Foei  • 
SVHJ^TTtf  Toburtda  Ta/o/x . 

S-JThe  Smoltut  umyjif 

3v  Bccrra^'k-T  ot  the  Chi^eiier  Cnuxris 
^ilLooA^re  ofS^Jlex/junder  36i$ki 

39  7*ne  Exxh4jafuic 

i/D  T/u  OvLstoni  JlnuH . 

i^l  JIta:  Jcadeiny  cf-^n^rufs 

if2Tkf  Corps  vfLatid  CijoUU 

j^i  Thf  Kni-nuwitji  of  Ohelisk 

U^The  .ic-ad<.»ty  o/  Hu  Fir^  ArU 

ii.The  CfTps  of  .Mantle  foudelt 


^,'  T}ie  Corrif  rf  ^^bn^fs 


SI  0Tke  i"**  Ccr^s  ci  /.and  C<td,aiei 

iS,  The,  Bcl*ivuaZ  OardcKs . 
■  ^4^.  The  tMecUco  Chunvi-ciicalArademT 
•^.The  Chicrch  cf  Samfon 


^/   jOtx^co/fs  LuAea  ^  //"  J  ^Mcwbnj  Lsute,  Lrrupl^n. 


v^ 


THE    CTTY    REVENUE. 


99 


ment  to  three  or  four  hundred  workmen,  who  make 
from  one  hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dozens  of  packs  of  cards  annually. 

It  may  be  observed  here,  that  in  1816  the  follow- 
ing was  reported  to  me  as  the  general  averages  of 
cattle  and  carriage  in  St.  Petersburgh :  five  thousand 
oxen,  thirty  thousand  horses,  five  thousand  carriages, 
four  thousand  caleches,  seven  thousand  five  hundred 
droschki,  twelve  thousand  traineaux,  and  ten  thousand 
small  charrettes. 

The  receipts  of  the  police  office  amount  to  one  mil- 
lion five  hundred  thousand  rubles,  and  the  expenses  to 
one  million  four  hundred  thousand  rubles.  The  city 
revenue  is  derived  from  the  payment  of  customary 
duties,  taxes  on  houses,  ships,  eau-de-vie,  beer,  &c. 
The  expenses  of  the  city  are  the  police  barracks,  pri- 
sons, bridges,  canals,  trottoirs,  and  lighting,  and  re- 
pairing public  buildings. 

The  islands  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Neva  are  most 
interesting  and  worthy  of  description,  but  the  season  of 
the  year  prevented  my  visiting  them. 

They  are  Kammergi,  Ortroff*,  Krestofski,  lelighme, 
and  Catherineoff;  which  last  is  on  the  south  bank. 
Many  other  places  in  the  neighbourhood  should  be 
seen  and  described.  The  theatres  are  numerous  and 
splendid.  In  the  theatre  of  L'Hermitage  the  Em- 
press has  occasionally  theatrical  representations  by 
amateur  artistes  of  Petersburgh.  The  great  Russian 
theatre,  where  there  are  nightly  representations,  con- 
tains three  thousand  persons.  Its  interior  is  heavy, 
exhibiting  a  facade  with  eight  very  large  columns  of 

H  2 


i\ 


100 


JIILATIIICS    AND     PHOMKNAUKS. 


THE    ENGLISH    CLUB. 


101 


i 

5 


U 


the  Ionic  order.  The  theatre  Alexander  is  in  the  Newski 
Perspectif ;  that  of  Michael  is  near  the  palace,  and, 
with  its  French  company  of  actors,  is  by  far  tlie  best 
attended.     The   Jardin  d'Ete  is  the  principal  prome- 
nade in  the  city.     It  has  a   magnificent  iron  railing 
around  it,  which  was  put  up  by  Catlierine  II.     This  is 
supported  by  granite  columns,   with  fine   sculptured 
urns  on  their  summit. .  The  Boulevards  of  tlie  Admi- 
ralty, and  the  Newski  Perspectif,  and  above  all  the 
English  quay,  are  fashionable  lounges.     The  only  two 
clubs  I  heard  of  were  the  English  club  in  the  Moska, 
and  a  club  of  citizens  near  the  Hotel   Labanof     Tlie 
former  deserves  some  description.     It  is  composed  of 
three  or  four  hundred  members,  originally  established 
by  the  English  members  of  the  Russian  Company.     It 
was  first  opened  in  1770,  but,  from  the  falling  oft*  of  the 
British  residents  at  St.  Petersburgh,  by  degrees  Rus- 
sian gentlemen,  citizens,  and  officers  were  introduced, 
and  there  are  now  more  of  the  latter  than  the  former. 
It  is  amusing  to  dine  with  this  society,  and  to  observe, 
after   dinner,    each   nation    resorting  to    its  peculiar 
habits.   The  Russians,  who  invariably  rise  when  eating 
is  finished,  leave  the  dining-room,  proceed  to  billiards, 
cards,  chess,  reading  the  newspapers,  and  tlieir  cigars. 
The  English  call  for  their  wine  and  punch,  give  toasts 
and  make  speeches,  pretty  much  as  at  any  public 
dinner  in  England.     There  is  a  very  gentleman-like 
set  of  British  residents  now  at  St.  Petersburgh,  and  I 
passed  a  most  agreeable  and  interesting  day  at  this 
club.     They  have  all  the  Russian  and  some  German 
and  French  journals ;  but  the  entrance  of  newspapers 


into  Russia  is  under  strict  surveillance ;  and  although 
the  noblesse,  merchants,  and  persons  of  wealth  and 
rank  know  what  is  going  forward  in  the  rest  of 
the  world,  and  receive  most  of  the  publications  after 
going  through  the  censors'  hands,  the  generality  of 
the  inhabitants  and  citizens  are  greatly  ignorant  of 
passing  events  beyond  those  in  their  own  capital.  I 
did  not  attend  the  Bourgeois  Club,  and  can  give  no 
account  of  it. 


lO'i 


THE    UUSSIAN    PEOPLE. 


II 


I! 


.iii 


I  i 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Russian  People  —  Governments — Wretched  Hotel— Count 
Nesselrode— Lord  Durham— Le  Palais  d'Hiver— Column  of 
Alexander — The  Inauguration — L*Hermitage — Splendid  Trea- 
sures —  Bali-Room  —  Saloon  of  the  Marechals  —  Remarkable 
Custom— Droshkas — The  Emperor's  Accident. 

Having  thus  given  a  slight  and  desultory  sketch  of 
the  capital,  it  may  be  as  well  to  add  a  few  words  on 
the  nation  itself.  The  men  are  in  general  tall  and 
robust,  the  women  shorter  in  proportion.  It  is  rare 
to  see  a  thin  person,  and  you  hardly  meet  with  defor- 
mity. The  Russian  countenances  are  not  handsome,  but 
they  have  a  steady,  quiet,  enduring  look  and  manner. 
Generally  they  have  small  eyes  and  short  noses,  and 
the  greater  part  light  hair.  The  rigour  of  the  climate, 
I  should  think,  lessens  their  perception  of  taste  and 
smell,  and  the  great  plains  of  snow  evidently  affect  their 
sight.  Their  hearing,  on  the  other  hand,  is  remark- 
ably quick,  and  they  have  great  strength  of  limb,  with 
hardy  constitutions,  capable  of  enduring  great  priva- 
tion. Their  diet  is  simple,  and  their  general  beverage 
krass^  but  their  passion  is  eau-de-vie ;  the  consequence 
is  general  inebriety,  when  they  are  not  at  work  or  on 
duty.     The  dress  of  the  men  is  of  sheep-skins,  inside 


'■'N 


^tm 


THE    RUSSIAN    PEOPLE. 


103 


and  out,  made  loose  and  tied  round  the  middle  by  a 
long  sash.     They    universally   wear  boots,   or   shoes 
covered  with  fur-skins.^  When  their  spirits  are  excited, 
they  are    excessively  jovial,  remarkably    intelligent, 
deeply  alive  to  their  own  interest,  scrupulously  reli- 
gious and  attentive  to  the  smallest  ceremony  of  their 
church,  although   I  did  not  perceive  they  had    any 
great  respect  for  their  clergy.^  They  unquestionably 
possess  the  art  of  imitation,  and  improving  on  any 
given  ideas  or  plans,  more  than  any  other  people  ;  but 
their  manufacture  does  not  appear  to  be  as  solid  and 
as  good  as  that  of  other  countries,  especially  Eng- 
land.    Their  efforts  are  concentrated  in  making  the 
articles   for  sale   look   elegant   and  pleasing ;  but  in 
solidity,  use,  or  durability  they  are  sadly  deficient.    I 
should  say  that  this  observation  applies  nearly  to  all 
articles  of  luxury  made  in  Russia. 

Russia  is  at  present  composed  of  (I  believe)  more 
than  forty- eight  governments,  independent  of  Lithu- 
ania and  Poland.  All  these  are  ruled  over  by  a  mili- 
tary civil  governor,  and  each  of  them  may  almost  be 
termed  a  separate  province.  The  court  of  these  go- 
vernors, their  palaces,  their  receptions,  their  officers  of 
the  household  and  state,  the  troops  under  their  com- 
mand, are  all  precisely  on  the  footing  of  little  inde- 
pendent sovereignties.  The  most  confidential  and 
experienced  officers  and  generals  of  the  army  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  Emperor  to  these  very  desirable  situa- 
tions, and  every  chief  so  placed  has  a  peculiar  field  for 
distinction  and  introduction  to  the  sovereign's  obser- 
vation and  favour. 


/ 


) 


•m   '  ■■ 


I   * 


mmtmmtrmmm' 


104 


GOVERNMENTS. 


WRETCHED    HOTEL. 


105 


! : 


III 


The  Russian  empire  is  divided  into  what  are  called 
Grand  Divisions.  Great  Russia  comprises  the  most 
modern  part ;  another  division  is  denominated  White 
and  Black  Russia,  and  a  third  called  Little  or  Red 
Russia. 

The  six  most  important  governments,  belonging 
formerly  to  what  was  the  principality  of  Moscow,  are 
the  government  of  Iver,  Novogorod,  Nignii,  Faroslavi, 
Vlademir,  and  Kalonga.  The  government  of  St. 
Petersburgh  is  also  of  the  same  independent  descrip- 
tion. It  is  unnecessary  to  recapitulate  the  names  of 
all  the  others,  as  it  is  not  my  intention  to  attempt 
detailed  information  respecting  them. 

The  natural  and  innate  capacity  of  the  people  is 
very  great.  As  a  specimen  of  this  daring  activity, 
you  may  see  artificers  and  common  workmen  stucco- 
ing or  whitening  their  houses  in  buckets  from  the 
roofs,  and  some  sit  across  a  plank  suspended  by  ropes, 
changing  their  position  on  it  with  wonderful  agility, 
their  axes  and  tools  in  their  girdles,  nor  do  they  ever 
seem  at  a  loss  for  any  dexterous  effort. 

Extraordinary  superstition  seems  to  reign  amongst 
them,  and  I  think  this  pervades  the  higher  classes  as 
well  as  the  lower.  They  are  fond  of  gipsies,  and 
of  having  their  fortunes  told,  and  have  great  faith 
in  omens.  A  salt-cellar  overturned,  or  thirteen  at 
table,  create  an  inconceivable  sensation  in  the  high 
classes  ;  and  every  sort  of  delusion  of  necromancy 
is  produced  amongst  the  lower  orders.  The  hospi- 
tality of  the  country  is  remarkable,  as  also  the  uni- 
versal cliarity  and  readiness  to  relieve  the  |)oor  which 


prevails.  This  is  a  singular  contrast  to  their  seeming 
cupidity  ;  but  it  is  not  more  remarkable  than  the 
violence  of  their  temperament,  when  contrasted  with 
the  great  charm  and  politeness  of  their  manners. 

We  still  lodged  in  the  uncomfortable  apartments  we 
had  been  at  first  obliged  to  take.  The  noise  of  this 
wretched  hotel,  in  addition  to  its  dirt  and  other  in- 
conveniences, is  indescribable.  The  passengers  of 
coaches,  and  the  frequenters  of  clubs  which  were 
held  on  the  second  floor,  kept  up  an  incessant  noise 
during  the  night,  added  to  the  rumbling  of  innume- 
rable droshkas  flying  to  and  fro  on  the  pav6  of  the  Ad- 
miralty square,  with  the  constant  ringing  of  bells,  and 
the  crowing  of  cocks  in  the  yard.  Such  was  the  com- 
bination against  the  nerves  of  a  delicate  and  sensitive 
woman,  who  needed  repose  after  a  harassing  journey 
and  a  long  sea  passage  ;  it  was  sufficient  to  render 
her  first  debut  in  St.  Petersburgh  anything  but  agree- 
able. 

Our  ambassador  was  not  resident  in  Petersburgh  on 
our  arrival,  having  taken  a  house  lent  to  him  (as  I  un- 
derstood) by  the  Emperor,  near  the  Imperial  residence 
of  Peterhof,  and  close  upon  the  Gulf  of  Finland,  where 
he  had  passed  the  summer.  This  country-house  is 
about  twenty-four  wersts,  or  three-fourths  of  an  Eng- 
lish mile,  from  the  city.  He  liad,  very  considerately, 
directed  that  one  of  his  attaches,  Mr.  M'Ginnis,  and 
Mr.  Millbank,  secretary  of  embassy,  who  lived  in 
lodgings  at  tlie  English  quay,  should  be  informed  of 
our  arrival.  These  gentlemen  kindly  assisted  me  in 
my  endeavours  to  look  for  (juarters,  and  on  the  follow- 


t  ii 


it 


106 


COUNT    NESSELRODE. 


ing  day  his  excellency  waited  upon  me  at  our  hotel, 
and  offered  every  kindness  and  attention.  I  had 
already  sent  notes  to  my  former  friends,  Count  Nessel- 
rode  and  Prince  Lieven,  apprising  them  of  my  land- 
ing, and  Count  Nesselrode  immediately  used  every 
endeavour  to  make  us  comfortable,  and  to  facilitate  our 
wishes.  Count  Nesselrode  fixed  Thursday,  September 
22nd,  to  give  us  a  grand  dinner,  to  meet  the  corps  di- 
plomatique, at  his  country-house  in  an  island  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Neva.  During  the  summer  months 
the  Russian  noblesse  go  to  their  beautiful  villas,  either 
on  the  side  of  Peterhof  or  in  the  islands,  and  they 
seldom  return  to  town  for  the  winter  season  till  No- 
vember; all  the  fashionable  world,  therefore,  were 
now  absent,  and  all  receptions  were  in  the  country. 

The  weather  at  this  period  was  mild  and  agreeable, 
and  on  the  19th,  in  company  with  Lord  Durham,  I 
visited  the  Imperial  ministers.  We  passed  over  the 
ponderous  wooden  bridge  of  tlie  Neva,  which  gave 
me  a  fine  view  of  the  gorgeous  palace  of  the  Grand 
Duke  Michael,  the  Champ  de  Mars,  the  Corps  des 
Mines,  and  various  other  buildings. 

The  minister  for  foreign  affairs  was  not  within,  and 
our  promenade  was  one  chiefly  of  form.  Lord  Dur- 
ham conversed  with  frankness  upon  his  own  position 
in  the  country,  and  congratulated  himself  on  having 
kept  our  cabinet  in  strict  amity  with  the  Emperor,  of 
whose  high  honour,  integrity,  ability,  and  straightfor- 
ward conduct,  he  did  not  entertain  a  doubt. 

Lord  Durham  then  alluded  to  the  great  advantage 
he  had  derived  from  his  voyage  to  the  Dardanelles  and 


LORD    DURHAM. 


107 


Constantinople,  and  to  the  experience  and  knowledge 
he  had  gained  from  many  channels  of  information 
during  that  period.  In  regard  to  the  finances  of 
Russia,  the  state  of  the  army,  and  every  branch  of  the 
civil  administration,  he  had  also  obtained  access  to  in- 
formation superior,  he  believed,  to  any  that  had  been 
gained  before. 

His  lordship's  policy  with  our  government  (as  to 
Russia)  seemed  to  me  to  be  to  establish  trust  and  confi- 
dence in  our  cabinet,  and  to  discourage  suspicion  and 
doubt.  The  Emperor's  character  inspired  an  unbounded 
reliance  on  all  he  said.  Combining  the  sentiments  and 
opinions  I  now  heard  with  what  afterwards  came  to 
my  knowledge,  I  am  inclined  to  think  there  was 
much  reason  and  justice  in  all  the  ambassador  said. 
There  was  of  course  a  great  deal  more  stated  and  com- 
municated, but  I  feel  in  no  degree  justified  in  re- 
porting private  conversations  and  anecdotes,  although 
the  general  complexion  of  the  sentiments  of  a  high 
British  functionary  may  be  fairly  brought  forward  as 
interesting  and  historical. 

In  the  interval  to  the  22nd,  I  attempted  to  begin 
our  examination  of  the  lions  of  this  vast  city.  In 
order  that  we  should  inspect  everything  with  the 
greatest  convenience  and  accommodation,  Count  Nessel- 
rode had  placed  at  our  disposition  M.  de  Michaelofl', 
of  the  bureau  des  affaires  etranghres.  He  had  given 
him  instructions  to  repair  to  our  hotel  every  morn- 
ing at  eleven  o'clock,  and  to  make  a  plan  of  opera- 
tions for  the  day.  Furnished  as  M.  de  MichaelofT 
was   with     the    foreign    secretary's    orders   to   every 


V 


^■■>W 


r 


108 


LE    PALAIS     D  HIVEIl. 


COLUMN    OF    ALEXANDER. 


109 


\ 


/ 


establishment,  we  had  opportunities  of  seeing  and 
examining  everything  with  the  greatest  facility  and 
accuracy.  Our  first  visit  was  to  L'Hermitage  and 
Le  Palais  d'Hiver.  Count  Brunow,  also  employed 
in  the  Russian  diplomacy,  and  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished and  confidential  friends  of  Count  Nessel- 
rode,  met  us  at  the  palace.  This  edifice,  comprising 
two  separate  most  capacious  palaces,  stands  proudly 
and  prominently  on  the  granite  quay  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Neva.  The  view  from  the  principal 
apartments  looks  out  upon  this  noble  and  expansive 
river,  bounded  by  countless  buildings,  gilt  spires, 
domes,  and  churches  of  every  description,  while  the 
back  of  the  edifice  commands  a  beautiful  panorama 
of  the  Neva,  covered  with  shipping,  and  its  sur- 
rounding objects.  The  first  of  these  edifices  faces  a 
crescent  of  buildings  with  colonnades  and  pilasters, 
which  comprise  all  the  main  public  offices  of  the 
government.  In  the  centre  rises,  as  before  stated, 
the  column  of  Alexander. 

The  following  detail  of  the  ceremony  of  placing 
this  matchless  monument  having  been  handed  to  me 
by  a  gentleman*  who  was  an  eye-witness  of  the 
scene  on  the  spot,  I  consider  too  interesting  not  to 
insert  it  here. 

Thursday,  the  30th  of  August,  1834,  was  a  day 
made  memorable  in  Russia  by  the  consecration  of  the 
Alexandrine  Column  in  the  Isaac  Place  at  St.  Pe- 
tersburgh.  It  was  erected  by  the  Emperor  Nicholas 
in    honour  of  those    glorious   battles    fought   in    the 

*  J.  IJardwick,  esq. 


years  1813  and  1814,  and  dedicated  to  the  memory 
of  his  brother  and  predecessor,  Alexander  I.  In 
elevation  this  column  surpasses  all  others;  its  shaft  is  a 
single  block  of  polished  red  granite,  eighty-four  feet 
in  height,  the  lower  diameter  of  which  is  twelve 
feet,  the  upper  nine  feet.  This  gigantic  mass  of  stone 
was,  in  July  1832,  brought  from  the  quarries  of 
Finland,  and  raised  with  infinite  skill  on  its  base  by 
the  companions  in  arms  of  Alexander.  The  pedes- 
tal, in  height  thirty  feet,  is  also  of  granite,  adorned 
with  allegorical  bassi  relievi  in  gilt  bronze,  bearing 
on  the  side  towards  the  Winter  Palace  this  inscrip- 
tion— "  To  Alexander  I.— Grateful  Russia."  On  the 
summit  is  the  figure  of  an  angel  fifteen  feet  high, 
holding  in  its  left  hand  the  cross,  its  right  pointing 
to  heaven.*  A  few  days  previously  to  the  ceremony 
of  its  inauguration,  the  weather  had  changed  :  in  the 
place  of  extreme  heat  and  a  cloudless  sky,  the  wind 
blew  cold  and  threatened  rain;  the  night  before 
there  was  a  most  terrific  thunder-storm  ;  the  rain  fell 
in  torrents,  and  for  some  hours  the  atmosphere  blazed 
with  incessant  flashes  of  fire.  Happily  the  morning 
broke  serene  and  fresh :  a  few  soldiers  occupied  the 
ground  in  the  great  square.  At  an  early  hour  every 
house-top  was  covered  and  every  window  filled  with 
anxious  spectators.  Above  the  principal  doorway 
of  the  Winter  Palace  a  magnificent  covered  balcony 
in  the  shape  of  a  tent  had  been  erected  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  court,  with  a  double  flight  of  steps 

*  The  capital  and  plinth  for  the  statue  are  twelve  feet,  making 
the  whole  height  one  hundred  and  forty-one  feet. 


i  \i 


N 


i 


? 


110 


THE    INAUGURATION. 


leading  down  from  it  into  the  Place.  Here  were 
assembled  the  magnates  of  the  empire,  and  many  of 
the  most  distinguished  men  in  Europe,  who  had  been 
specially  invited  to  assist  at  this  glorious  ceremony. 
His  Majesty  the  King  of  Prussia  excused  himself  in 
the  following  expressive  letter,  addressed  to  the 
emperor,  dated  Toplitz,  July  20,  1834. 

"  Monsieur  mon  Frhre  et  beau  Fils,— Vous  dire  com- 
bien  je  m'interesse  a  Tinauguration  d'un  monument 
qui  dira  aux  siecles  la  grandeur  des  efforts  faits  pour 
renverser  un  despotisme  insupportable,  et  le  genie  du 
souverain  qui,  par  une  immense  impulsion,  assura 
a  les  efforts  la  plus  glorieuse  victoire,  c'est  vous 
exprimer  combien  je  regrette  que  des  circonstances 
insurmontables  m'empechent  de  r^pondre  a  votre 
invitation,  en  me  rendant  a  St.  Petersbourg.  Mais  je 
serai  a  la  verite  a  cette  auguste  cer^monie  de  toute 
ma  pensee ;  et  pour  me  consoler  de  mon  absence,  je 
vous  demande  la  permission  de  r^aliser  un  projet  cher 
a  mon  coeur,  et  dont  Tidee  m'a  ete  suggeree  par  votre 
Majeste  Imperiale.  Elle-meme,  qui  a  bien  vouler 
exprimer  un  semblable  voeu,  Tannee  demiere,  a  mon 
fils  le  Prince  Albert.  Souffrez  done,  sire,  que  je 
vous  annonce  pour  cette  journee  solennelle  Tarrivee 
d'un  detachement  de  mon  garde,  et  du  regiment  de  votre 
majeste,  compose  de  dix-sept  officiers  et  trente-huit 
soldats  choisis  parmi  les  militaires  qui  ont  fait  les 
memorables  campagnes,  et  que  je  mets  sous  la  con- 
duite  de  mon  fils  le  Prince  Guillaume.  Ce  detache- 
ment y  representera  mon  armee  entiere,  fiere  encore 


VI 


THE    INAUGURATION. 


Ill 


des  souvenirs  d'une  epoque  memorable  de  sa  fraternite 
avec  les  braves  soldats  Russes,  des  suffrages  enfin  de 
celui  qui  leur  fraya  le  chemin  de  la  victoire,  et  qui  si 
souvent  les  confondit  avec  ses  propres  guerriers. 
Daignez,  sire,  leur  accorder  vos  bonnes  graces.  Comp- 
tant  sur  votre  agrement,  je  ferai  partir  ce  detachement 
sans  attendre  votre  reponse.  Veuillez  agreer  Tassu- 
rance  de  mon  attachement  inalterable,  et  de  la  haute 
consideration  avec  laquelle  je  suis, 

"  Sire, 
"  De  votre  Majeste  Imperiale 
"  Le  bien  devoue  beau-pere, 
''  Frederick  Guillaume." 

As  the  clock  struck  ten,  three  signal-guns  were 
fired  ;  at  the  same  moment  the  quick  short  tramp  of 
soldiers  was  heard  ;  and  in  an  instant  from  every  inlet 
into  the  Great  Square  poured  horse  and  foot,  their 
bands  playing,  their  colours  flying,  and  in  less  than 
twenty  minutes  one  hundred  thousand  men,  the  flower 
and  choice  of  the  Russian  army,  took  up  their  posi- 
tion !  Here  troops  of  Cossacks  were  moving  on  their 
small  spare  horses— in  another  quarter  mounted  Cir- 
cassians in  chain  armour,  with  their  bows  and  arrows. 
At  the  end  of  the  place,  near  the  Isaac  Church,  were 
posted  twenty  thousand  cavalry,  whose  steel  helmets 
and  polished  cuirasses  flashed  back  in  dazzling  splen- 
dour the  sun-rays  that  glanced  upon  them.  Two 
hundred  and  forty-eight  pieces  of  artillery,  pontoons, 
&c.,  lined  the  Admiralty  quay.  The  ships  of  war 
and    other    vessels   lying    in   the   Neva  were    gaily 


\ 


\ 


\  ii 


i 


tff 


A  i' 


1    -1 


H 


\ 


V, 


~*^*^,/ 


WMfiU 


112 


THE    INAUGURATION. 


dressed  in  all  their  colours.  The  Emperor  com- 
manded in  person ;  he  rode  along  tlie  ranks,  ac- 
companied by  the  Cesarovitch  Grand  Duke  and 
heir  apparent,  the  Grand  Duke  Michael,  Prince 
William  of  Prussia,  and  followed  by  a  numerous  and 
brilliant  kat  major.  His  Majesty  was  at  every  in- 
stant saluted  by  the  liveliest  acclamations. 

At  twelve  o'clock  the  Empress  and  their  children, 
attended  by  the  ladies  of  the  court,  appeared  upon  the 
balcony ;  she  was  preceded  I)y  the  archbishop  of  St. 
Petersburgh,   assisted  by  the  higli  clergy  bearing  tlie 
cross,  the  sacred  images  and  embroidered  banners  of 
the  Greek  Church.  On  a  command  given  by  the  Em- 
peror, the  troops  grounded  arms,  and  made  ready  for 
prayers  ;   then  burst  forth  the  voices  of  the  choir  from 
the   balcony,    chanting,    in    the  sweetest    and    most 
thrilling  strains,  the    Te  Dpauu,  on  which   the  whole 
army  uncovered  and  knelt,  as  did  the  Emperor  apart 
and  in  the  front  of  them.     As  soon  as  the  last  long; 
note  of  this  beautiful  descant  had   died  away,  on  a 
signal  given  by  the  Emperor,  the  crimson  hangings 
that    had  to  this  moment  concealed  the  pedestal   of 
the  column  and  its    rich  hassi  relievi  fell,    and    tliis 
magnificent    monument    stood    revealed    in    all    its 
glory.     At  the  Emperor's  sole  word  of  command  the 
whole  army  presented    arms  ;    then    were   heard    the 
shouts  of  the  troops  and  of  the  surrounding  multitude 
— the  roaring  of  the  cannon — the  clang  of  the  trum- 
pets— while  at  intervals,  when  there  was   a  pausing 
of  these    clamorous  instruments,    the    sweet   silvery 
streaming   notes   of    the   choir   rose    upon    the   air. 


THE    INAUGURATION. 


113 


I' 


Prayers  having  been  said  for  the  Russian  army,  the 
procession  began  to  descend  the  steps  of  the  balcony 
leading  to  the  square.  First  walked  the  heads  of  the 
Greek  Church  in  their  rich  habiliments  ;  then  the 
Empress,  full  of  grace  and  dignity,  wearing  a  diamond 
on  her  forehead  glittering  like  a  star,  followed  by  the 
ladies  of  the  court  in  the  Russian  costume,  the 
members  of  the  council,  the  nobles,  field-marshals, 
the  corps  diplomatique,  generals,  and  other  distin- 
guished personages.  Just  as  the  procession  ap- 
proached the  column,  the  sky,  which  for  a  short  time 
before  had  been  overcast,  cleared,  and  the  sun  burst 
forth,  lighting  up  with  its  rays  the  column  and  the 
whole  line  of  this  splendid  pageant. 

When  the  archbishop  had  blessed  the  column,  the 
procession  returned  to  the  palace.  The  Emperor,  sur- 
rounded by  his  staflf,  took  up  a  position  near  the  mo- 
nument. The  whole  army  then,  with  the  greatest  pre- 
cision, filed  off  in  close  columns  of  regiments  before 
him.  His  Majesty  himself,  having  placed  the  first  sen- 
tinel from  the  Grenadiers  du  Palais'^  on  guard  at  the 
column,  (and  who  has  since  been  regularly  relieved  by 
one  of  that  body,)  ascended  the  steps  of  the  balcony, 
and  as  he  met  the  Empress,  who  had  advanced  to  con- 
gratulate him,  he  impressed  an  affectionate  kiss  upon 
her  forehead,  exclaiming,  "  Ma  chere,  c'est  la  plus 
belle  journee  de  ma  vie." 

In  reference  to  this  magnificent  trophy,  I  cannot 

*  This  is  the  finest  body  of  men  in  Europe ;  it  is  composed  of 
a  hundred  picked  veterans,  none  of  whom  have  served  less  than 
five-and-twenty  years. 

VOL.    I.  I 


iV 


114 


L  HERMITAGE. 


but  remark  here  that,  for  its  site,  it  is  not  nearly  stu- 
pendous enough,  or  rather  that  the  great  space  en- 
closed both  in  this  and  St.  Peter's  area  gives  the  appear- 
ance of  littleness  to  the  two  grand  monuments.  The 
crowd  who  traverse  the  squares  look  more  like  pigmies 
than  mortals,  and  the  due  effect  of  the  ornamented 
obelisk,  surmounted  by  a  figure  of  our  Saviour  with 
the  cross,  as  w^ell  as  that  of  the  statue  of  Peter  the 
Great,  and  the  beautiful  symmetrical  horse,  are  lost 
in  the  immensity  of  space  that  surrounds  them. 
This  shows  how  very  essential  it  is  to  consult  the 
position  and  space  around  any  great  monument  or 
trophy.  In  the  Place  de  Vendome  at  Paris,  and  in 
Waterloo  Place,  the  columns  look  more  imposing 
than  this  infinitely  finer  work  at  St.  Petersburgh. 
What  greatly  detracts  from  the  matchless  perfection 
of  the  Imperial  city,  and  which  is  applicable  to  all  the 
palaces  we  visited  this  day,  is,  that  there  is  an  ill- 
assorted  mixture  of  the  finest  granite  and  marble 
with  Fcagliola  and  imitation  stone-work ;  but  for 
this,  the  visitor  would  think  these  edifices  perfect. 

I  cannot  describe  the  endless  apartments  of  L'Her- 
mitage,  nor  the  splendid  paintings  of  masters  of 
various  schools,  the  appropriation  of  a  room  to  each 
of  whom  may  give  some  idea  of  the  scale  of  the 
arrangement  of  the  pictures.  A  great  collection  was 
made  from  Sir  Robert  Walpole's  and  Lord  Orford's 
sales,  and  also  from  Hope,  the  banker,  of  Amsterdam, 
and  from  Malmaison.  There  are  eight  famous  pic- 
tures, said  to  be  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  and  five  of 
Raphael.     There  are  Michael  Angelos,  Andrea    del 


L 


SPLENDID    TREASURES. 


115 


•■      i 


Sartos,  Caraccis,  Carravagios,  Titians,  Correggios,  in 
numbers ;  but  I  confess  I  did  not  see  in  the  collection 
many  very  extraordinary   efforts  of  these  celebrated 
artists.     I  believe,  however,  that,  except  in  Spain,  it  is 
the  largest  collection  of  the  Italian  school.     The  gal- 
lery is  also  very  rich  in  pictures  of  the  Flemish  school, 
Rubens,  Sneyders,  Teniers,  and  Vandyke  ;  and  there 
are  also  splendid  groups  of  sculpture.     Canova  shines 
pre-eminently  amidst  the  works  of  other  modern  Ita- 
lian artists.     In  addition  to  the  paintings  and  sculp- 
ture   are    cabinets    containing   presents,  jewels,    the 
ingots    and  valuable    treasures  of  every   description 
which  have  been  collected  during  the  reigns  of  the 
czars  of  Russia.     The  splendour  of  these  objects  is 
really  inconceivable.     Until  I  visited   Russia  and   its 
treasures,  I  knew  not  what  was  grandeur ;   I  had  no 
conception  of  such  valuable  display.     Let  those  who 
desire  to  understand  it,  proceed  to  these  palaces,  and 
to  the  Kremlin,  &c.,  at  Moscow. 

AfTfcer  having  paraded  through  the  rooms  containing 
the  presents,  &c.,  we  were  conducted  into  various  sa- 
loons, in  which  vases  of  jasper,  tables  of  malachite, 
candelabras  of  ormolu,  cabinets  of  mosaic,  pietro  duro, 
and  porphyry,  were  so  interspersed  that  they  appeared 
almost  to  glut  the  beautiful  parquets  on  which  they 
were  parcelled  out. 

From  the  suite  of  apartments  for  reception,  we  enter- 
ed those  devoted  to  the  crown  jewels,  &c.  These  are 
shown  only  by  particular  permission.  Under  a  glass 
case  in  the  middle  of  a  costly  cabinet,  which  contains 
flat  tables  covered  with  glasses,  and  doors  to  open, 

I  2 


/. 


asBa 


s8£ 


116 


BALL-ROOM. 


stands  the  Imperial  diadem,  in  which  is  contained  one 
of  the  largest  diamonds  in  the  universe.  The  crown 
itself  is  nearly  composed  of  pearls  ;  and  the  rubies, 
emeralds,  and  sapphires,  which  cover  the  regah'a  and 
sceptre,  are  only  surpassed  in  number,  though  not 
in  brilliancy,  by  tliose  which  occupy  the  glass  cases 
ranged  round  the  room.  I  should  mention  also  that 
one  large  cabinet  is  completely  filled  with  rich  and 
curious  snuff-boxes,  collected  chiefly  by  the  Empress 
Catherine;  they  are  of  every  shape  and  form. 

The  unrivalled  ball-room  next  claimed  our  atten- 
tion— the  largest  perhaps  in  the  world.  The  dimen- 
sions of  the  roams  are  annexed. 


Grand  Salle  de  Marble  - 

Salle  Blanche   -     -     -  - 

Salle  St.  George    -     -  - 
Salle  des  Marechaux 


English  Feet. 
Length.  Breadth. 

196 
133 
133 
112 


Palace  d'l liver. 


In  the  Palais  de  Tauride  the  dimensions  are  : 


Grand  Salle 
Jardin  d'Hiver 


238 
175 


98 
168 


I 


Palais  Tauride. 


In  the  Palais  de  Czarskozelo : 

Salle  du  Grand  Palais      -     -     161 
Salle  du  Petit  Palais  -     -     -     147 


56 
49 


] 


Czarskozelo. 


I  have  added  to  the  ball-room  and  dimensions  of 
the  Winter  Palace  the  size  of  the  other  apartments  of 
the  most  conspicuous  Imperial  residences,  to  show 
the  great  scale  upon  which  the  whole  are  constructed. 


. 


SALOON  OF  THE  MARECHALS. 


117 


At  the  fete  of  the  new  year,  or  on  any  extraordinary 
occasions,  when  the  palaces  are  thrown  open,  twenty 
thousand  persons  may  assemble  in  the  Salle  de  Bal 
above  described.  It  is  lined  with  columns  of  scag- 
liola,  and  has  a  gallery  around  it. 

After  viewing  this  spacious  apartment,  we  proceeded 
to  the  private  rooms  of  the  reigning  Empress ;  these 
are  sumptuously  fitted  up  in  crimson  and  gold ;  the 
doors  are  entirely  gilt,  which  I  never  witnessed  before. 
White  marble  tables  and  malachite,  alternately  with 
ormolu  mountings,  and  an  enormous  vase  of  mala- 
chite in  the  centre,  are  the  main  decorations  of  this 
Imperial  boudoir.  I  should  observe  there  is  one 
singularly  resplendent  feature  here,  and  indeed  in 
all  the  great  hotels  of  the  Russian  noblesse — the 
windows  are  a  single  sheet  of  glass;  there  is  no 
separation  or  square,  so  that  the  exterior  prospect  is 
open  to  you  without  dissection,  and  this  affords  a 
cheerful  brightness  of  unusual  enjoyment.  The  num- 
ber of  domestics  in  charge,  and  the  attendants  that 
occupy  the  winter  palaces,  at  all  times  exceed  five 
hundred,  and  these  are  more  than  doubled  when 
the  Emperor  is  resident.  The  most  remarkable  sa- 
loon is  that  of  the  Marechals.  In  it  are  full-length 
portraits  of  Potemkin,  Suwarrow,  Kutusow,  Barclay 
de  Tolly,  Diebitsch,  and  Paskewitch.  In  an  adjoin- 
ing room  are  portraits  of  all  the  generals  of  the  Rus- 
sian army.  The  Emperor  Alexander's  picture,  on 
horseback,  is  at  the  head  of  the  room,  and  the  King 
of  Prussia's  at  the  bottom  ;  the  Duke  of  Wellington's 
and  Prince  Schwarzenburg's  on  each  side.     This  me^ 


U 


Mfaitfil 


i 


118 


REMARKABLE    CUSTOM. 


!'  m  I 


f 


mento  of  the  glorious  campaigns  of  1813  and  1814 
was  imagined  by  the  Emperor  Alexander,  and  he  en- 
gaged an  English  artist  (Mr.  Dawe)  to  establish  him- 
self in  Russia  to  complete  this  undertaking.  This 
able  and  pains-taking  artist  died  before  he  accomplish- 
ed his  task  ;  his  labours  were  incessant,  as  he  worked 
generally  eighteen  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four.  He 
made  a  good  speculation  by  his  engagement,  receiv- 
ing one  thousand  rubles  for  each  head,  of  wliich  he 
finished  a  large  number.  At  his  decease,  I  heard  he 
left  all  his  fortune  to  the  Lancasterian  schools  in 
England. 

After  we  had  regarded  the  countenances  of  most  of 
these  Russian  commanders,  we  visited  in  succession 
the  rooms  of  the  late  Empress  Mere,  which  had  been 
newly  fitted  up,  before  her  death  in  the  Palais  d'Hiver, 
by  the  Emperor  Alexander.  It  is  not  possible  to  be- 
hold apartments  more  luxurious,  or  in  more  perfect 
taste  ;  they  are,  however,  untenanted.  One  of  the 
customs  in  Russia  (which  must,  in  private  families,  if 
adhered  to,  be  attended  with  considerable  inconveni- 
ence) is  to  leave  the  rooms  of  a  deceased  person  to 
whom  you  are  attached,  with  all  the  articles  which 
they  contain  at  the  moment  of  their  death,  precisely 
in  the  state  in  which  they  are  left  by  the  person  so 
dying.  This  has  been  carried  into  effect  in  a  parti- 
cular manner  as  regards  the  Emperor  Alexander ;  and 
the  most  trifling  minutiae  in  each  room  that  he  last 
inhabited,  before  the  fatal  fever  on  the  shores  of  the 
sea  of  Azof  carried  him  oft',  have  been  preserved  in 
the  state  in  which  they  were  when  he  died. 


DllOSHKAS. 


119 


T 


I  was  much  struck  with  the  form,  &c.,  of  the  car- 
riages and  means  of  conveyance  in  this  great  metro- 
polis, so  different  in  all  respects  from  those  of  our 
own  country. 

A  remarkable  fact,  that  the  stranger  must  bear 
in  mind,  is,  that  the  whole  commerce  of  this  vast  king- 
dom, in  its  interior,  is  carried  on  by  small,  ricketty, 
uncouth-looking  peasants'  wagons,  with  little  horses, 
(either  one  or  two,)  whose  wretched  appearance,  al- 
though mixed  with  Arabian  and  Tartar  blood,  inspires 
a  doubt  how  they  can  get  on,  or  in  any  way  travel 
with  their  burthen ;  but  the  strength  of  this  peculiar 
breed  is  not  more  remarkable  than  the  strength  of 
the  little  charrettes,  and  the  inconceivable  quantity  of 
merchandise  and  goods  of  every  kind  that  are  laden 
upon  them,  as  well  as  the  dexterous  manner  in  which 
the  loads  and  packages  are  placed.  All  the  public 
marts  and  places  of  resort  swarm  with  collected  masses, 
in  lines  or  columns,  of  these  vehicles. 

Leave  Petersburgh  at  what  hour  you  will,  or  what 
side  you  may,  these  charrettes  swarm  about  you,  and 
are  an  intolerable  nuisance  to  all  the  better  sort  of 
carriages  or  vehicles.  But  with  few  canals,  no  rail- 
roads, or  passable  tracts,  Russia,  in  no  part  of  her 
vast  regions,  could  exist  twenty-four  hours  without 
this  apparently  slender  but  actively  powerful  instru- 
ment of  her  interior  carrying  trade.  Next  in  variety 
in  the  moving  massofwheel  conveyances  is  the  droshka, 
with  its  little  low  benches  on  springs,  in  the  form  of  a 
tortoise,  having  one  horse  driven  by  a  coachman,  with 
a  beard  as  long  as  the  horse's  tail,  who  sits  on  the 


i 


\} 


^ 


■api 


^""^m 


H 


;') 


120 


DllOSHKAS. 


same  seat  with  the  passenger.  These  little  machines 
fly  about  in  all  directions  with  the  most  extraordinary 
velocity.  The  Russian  coachmen  are  a  peculiar  race  ; 
they  wear  small  round  hats,  their  hair  cut  short,  long 
beards,  bare  necks,  and  generally  blue  coats  and  pet- 
ticoats, with  a  girdle  round  their  waists.  The  droshka 
should  only  carry  one  person  in  addition  to  the  cha- 
rioteer, but  it  generally  contains  two  and  sometimes 
three,  and  the  gentleman  then  is  obliged  to  ride 
astride,  with  the  lady  before  him,  which  has  not  a 
very  decent  appearance  as  far  as  regards  the  female 
in  the  same  conveyance.  "  Mais  on  saccoutume  a 
tout.^' 

After  the  droshka  come  the  various  descriptions  of 
carriages  which  are  driven  with  four  or  even  six 
horses  abreast ;  these,  with  the  beautiful  little  Tartar 
animals  that  you  frequently  see  harnessed  to  the  better 
description  of  carriages,  (tossing  their  rat-like  heads 
in  the  air,  with  their  wide  Arab  nostrils,)  form  an 
object  of  admiration. 

Lastly  come  the  stately  trains  of  the  noblesse  ;  these 
have  always  four  horses,  the  leaders  being  harnessed 
with  very  long  traces,  and  a  boy  (a  fac-simile  in  mi- 
niature of  the  coachman  on  the  box)  riding  the  right 
hand  leader. 

No  person  of  any  distinction  goes  out  in  Peters- 
burgh  without  this  attelage.  The  distances  being  so 
very  great  in  the  town,  four  horses  are  really  neces- 
sary to  carry  you  along,  and  they  are  driven  rapidly 
and  with  dexterity. 

I  should  now  relate  that,  on  our  arrival  in  Russia, 


'  \ 


THE    EMPEROR  S    ACCIDENT. 


121 


we  heard  that  the  Emperor  had  been  thrown  out  of 
his  carriage,  and  had  broken  his  collar-bone,  while 
visiting  the  interior  of  his  dominions,  and  that  this 
accident  would  alter  his  plan  of  staying  any  time 
at  Moscow,  and  induce  him,  in  all  probability,  to 
return  as  soon  as  his  physician  would  allow  him  to 
move  to  St.  Petersburgh. 

Although  by  this  circumstance  we  were  prevented 
seeing  the  Emperor  in  the  midst  of  his  Russian  sub- 
jects at  Moscow,  which  is  said  to  be  peculiarly  de- 
monstrative of  the  affection  in  which  he  is  held  by  his 
people,  still  we  were  determined,  if  possible,  to  pro- 
ceed to  that  capital,  as,  in  fact,  it  is  there  that  Russia 
is  to  be  seen  in  her  true  form  and  character. 


M 


7 


ess 


igigai.-^ 


^^SAS" 


122 


THE    IMPERIAL    ACADEMY. 


l!:      :     i 


^ 


>  r 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Imperial  Academy — Diplomatic  Dinner — Dinner  at  the  Am- 
bassador's— Palace  of  PeterhofF — Imperial  Cottage — Its  Interior 
— Visit  to  Czarskoeselo — Audience  with  the  Empress — Dinner 
with  her  Majesty — Mode  of  Serving — Imperial  Ball — Unex- 
pected Announcement — Travelling  Party. 

Having  visited  tlie  palaces,  we  went  next  to  the  Im- 
perial Academy,  which  may  be  assimilated  to  our 
Royal  Academy,  except  that  it  is  entirely  under  the 
direction  of  the  government.  We  saw  a  large  collec- 
tion of  modern  portraits  by  various  Russian  artists. 
Some  valuable  curiosities  from  Egypt  and  Hercula- 
neum  ornament  the  entrance.  A  splendid  and  im- 
mense hall  in  the  centre  forms  a  species  of  arsenal, 
with  standards  and  military  emblems,  armour,  and 
knights  cap-a-pie  upon  stuffed  horses,  which  are  cer- 
tainly a  good  imitation,  but  give  rather  a  paltry 
appearance.  One  wing  of  the  building  is  devoted 
to  pictures,  the  other  is  the  school  of  architecture, 
painting,  and  mathematics.  Numerous  students  are 
here  instructed,  under  every  possible  advantage,  at 
the  expense  of  the  government.  It  seems,  indeed,  a 
nursery  for  talent,  and  is  admirably  conducted  in  all 


DIPLOMATIC    DINNER. 


123 


f 


its  branches.  Casts  from  Italy  of  all  the  fine  statues 
and  models,  and  copies  of  everything  most  precious  in 
the  arts,  are  open  for  the  advancement  of  the  scholars. 
Unable  as  I  feel,  on  a  cursory  inspection,  to  give  the 
details  of  this  vast  establishment,  it  is  enough  to  say 
that  it  must  inspire  everybody  with  interest,  and  is  a 
convincing  proof  of  the  pains  and  labour  which  the 
Russian  government  is  taking  to  further  the  progress 
of  the  arts  and  sciences. 

Count  Nesselrode  had  invited  us  this  day  to  dinner 
at  his  country-house  in  the  Islands,  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Neva.  We  went  at  five.  The  villa  is  beautifully 
situated,  and  in  the  height  of  summer  must  be  en- 
chanting. We  had  the  whole  of  the  corps  diploma- 
tique at  Petersburgh  to  meet  us,  (except  the  French 
Ambassador,  M.  de  Baranthe,)  General  Fiquelmont, 
the  Austrian,  Mr.  Lieberman,  the  Prussian,  the 
Swedish,  Danish,  and  the  Bavarian.  Besides  these, 
there  were  several  of  the  general  officers  whom  I  had 
known  on  service  in  1813  and  1814;  Czernicheff, 
who  is  now  minister  of  war,  Troubitskoi,  and  some 
others.  The  only  lady  besides  the  Countess  Nessel- 
rode was  a  sister  of  the  Prince  Razumoufski  of  Vienna, 
(whom  we  have  since  unhappily  lost,)  than  whom 
there  never  existed  a  more  amiable,  excellent,  or  uni- 
versally popular  man.  The  dinner  was  of  the  greatest 
rMierche,  for  which  Count  Nesselrode  is  proverbially 
renowned.  The  wines,  including  Prince  Metternich's 
far-famed  Johannisberg,  were,  beyond  measure,  exqui- 
site. No  repast  could  be  better  served,  or  more  agree- 
able ;   and  the  extreme  urbanity  of  the  distinguished 


'M 


>, 


'I 


UW^^  -»-:j-  . 


124 


DINNER  AT  THE  AMBASSADOR  S. 


PALACE  OF  PETERHOFF. 


125 


1 


I 


A 


host,  together  with  all  the  information  and  talent  he 
possesses,  added  to  the  lively  and  admirable  esprit  of 
the  countess,  rendered  their  receptions  (which  I  after- 
wards repeatedly  enjoyed)  among  the  most  agree- 
able in  Russian  society. 

The  following  day  we  had  engaged  ourselves  to 
an  early  dinner  with  our  ambassador,  to  see  his 
chateau  in  the  country,  and  to  visit  Peterhoff,  the 
magnificent  palace  of  Peter  the  Great,  together  with 
the  new  establishments  of  the  Emperor  Alexander, 
and  those  which  the  present  monarch  had  created  in 
that  quarter.  On  our  arrival  at  the  ambassador's 
villa,  after  a  drive  of  twenty-four  wersts,  we  found,  to 
our  disappointment,  that  he  had  received  an  order  to 
dine  with  the  Grand  Duchess  Helene^  who  had  a 
palace  adjoining.  She  is  the  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Michael,  and  daughter  of  Prince  Paul  of  Wurtem- 
burg. 

We  were  therefore  left  to  the  care  of  the  gentlemen 
of  the  embassy,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Kinnaird,  who 
did  the  honours ;  Mr.  Ponsonby,  (Lord  Duncannon's 
son,)  who  recently  had  sustained  tlie  most  afflicting 
loss  of  his  charming  young  wife,  daughter  of  the  am- 
bassador, and  Dr.  Dorand,  physician  to  the  family. 
He  informed  me  that  he  was  writing  a  History  of 
Russia,  from  which,  I  have  no  doubt,  we  shall  have 
ample  details,  as  the  doctor  appeared  a  man  of  infor- 
mation, and,  as  I  had  reason  to  appreciate  afterwards, 
was  a  very  able  member  of  his  profession. 

The  ambassador  had  left  us  his  carriage  and  horses 
to  drive  to  Peterhoff;  1  had,  liowever,  fortunately  fur- 


nished myself  with  Count  Nesselrode's  letters  and 
directions,  or  we  should  have  been  put  to  inconve- 
nience. 

The  palace  of  Peterhoff*  is  a  fine  edifice :  its  peculiar 
charm  and  characteristic  are  its  gardens,  waterfalls, 
jets  d'eau,  and  countless  marble  statues,  sea  gods, 
dolphins,  and  urchins  on  the  terraces  overhanging 
the  parapets.  There  are  broad  walks  round  the 
building  down  to  the  border  of  the  Gulf  of  Finland, 
which  flows  up  to  the  bottom  of  the  gardens.  Each 
successive  monarch  has  added  to  the  embellishments. 
The  building  is  sixty  feet  above  the  sea.  Tlie  prin- 
cipal front  is  inland,  and  it  is  an  enormous  mansion, 
with  five  or  six  large  projecting  angles.  There  are 
two  wings  of  one  story  high,  which  join  pavilions 
crowned  with  golden  domes.  It  resembles  more  the 
buildings  I  aft  erwards  saw  at  Moscow,  than  any  other 
edifice  at  St.  Petersburg^.  In  front  of  the  palace  is 
an  extensive  terrace,  with  two  of  the  largest  cas- 
cades I  ever  saw  falling  into  a  marble  basin,  where 
Neptune  and  all  the  sea  gods  are  grouped.  Sculp- 
ture, architecture,  painting,  and  gilding,  have  all  been 
put  in  abundant  requisition  to  make  the  edifice  the 
most  striking  in  the  country.  I  was  told  that  in 
summer,  when  all  the  artificial  water-works  are  play- 
ing, they  are  far  superior  to  those  of  Versailles.  See- 
ing them  as  I  did  in  a  bad  season  of  the  year,  it  is 
impossible  to  pass  a  just  opinion.  Some  remarkable 
cedar-trees  surround  the  palace  ;  and  the  gardens  are 
laid  out  in  long  avenues,  in  the  old  French  style. 

There  is  nothing  very  remarkable  in  the  suite  of 


A 


■iimmamm 


7 


■*••••■«■ 


•«■••■•«•*-- 


i 


126 


IMPERIAL    COTTAGE. 


: 


\\> 


II!' 


/ 


apartments.  One  room  is  filled  with  portraits  by  a 
Dutch  artist,  and  in  a  large  hall  is  a  picture  of  Peter 
the  Great  in  a  rowboat  in  a  storm,  alluding  to  an 
escape  he  had  in  the  Gulf  of  Finland.  From  the  great 
palace  you  are  led  to  a  small  cottage  that  was  occu- 
pied by  this  great  monarch  in  his  latter  days.  The 
simplicity  in  which  he  always  lived  is  here  observable ; 
his  bed  and  mattress,  and  even  his  nightcap  and  slip- 
pers, are  preserved  and  shown.  It  would  seem  that 
he  passed  his  days  in  the  humblest  outward  appear- 
ance, while  his  thoughts  expanded  to  the  sublimest 
objects. 

In  endeavouring  to  make  our  way  to  the  more 
modem  improvements  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas,  the 
ignorance  of  our  drivers  carried  us  into  a  labyrinth  of 
extensive  wild  planting  that  surrounds  the  new  cot- 
tage residence  of  Peterhoff.  It  was  now  that  the 
letter  I  had  brought  from  Count  Nesselrode  to  the 
governor  of  the  chateau  proved  our  welcome  aid ; 
for  when  we  were  entirely  lost,  not  knowing  which 
way  to  turn,  we  descried,  at  a  great  distance,  a 
little  carriage  coming  ventre  a  ierre  towards  us.  When 
it  reached  us,  we  found  the  governor  himself  lament- 
ing the  great  circuit  we  had  made,  assuring  us  he 
had  been  in  every  direction  to  find  us,  protesting 
against  the  stupid  ignorance  of  our  postilions,  and  un- 
dertaking to  conduct  us  immediately  by  the  shortest 
way  to  the  Emperor's  cottage.  In  about  half  an  hour 
we  arrived  at  a  most  perfect  little  terrestrial  paradise, 
situated  on  the  Gulf  of  Finland,  just  opposite  Cron- 
stadt.      It  embraces  in  one  coup  d'cerl  all  the  interest- 


ITS    INTERIOR. 


127 


ing  points  of  that  formidable  place,  with  the  Russian 
ships  at  anchor,  and  the  men-of-war  in  the  basins. 

The  Emperor  Nicholas's  object  in  its  construction 
was  merely  to  make  it  sufiicient  to  hold  the  members 
of  his  own  family  and  servants.  His  children's  rooms, 
and  those  of  the  governesses  and  preceptors,  are 
arranged  in  the  neatest  order,  combining  every  Eng- 
lish comfort  with  furniture  of  beautiful  wood  from 
every  quarter  of  the  globe.  The  Empress's  bedroom, 
boudoir,  and  toilette,  are,  in  taste  and  simplicity,  far 
surpassing  what  I  can  describe.  But  the  most  en- 
chanting room  of  all  is  the  saloon,  where  a  large  bow 
window  of  a  single  pane,  ornamented  on  the  top  and 
round  the  sides  with  coloured  glass,  opens  on  a  full 
view  of  Cronstadt  and  the  Gulf.  Various  mirrors 
round  the  room  reflect  the  interesting  panorama, 
which  this  fine  window  admits  into  the  apartment ;  and, 
without  being  able  exactly  to  describe  in  what  it  con- 
sists, there  is  an  air  of  enchantment  in  every  feature 
of  this  abode,  whether  as  regards  its  luxury,  its 
refinement,  or  its  comforts.  The  garden  around  it  is 
laid  out  as  an  English  pleasure-ground,  and  at  a 
small  distance,  on  a  little  rise,  is  a  telegraph  and 
flag-staff*,  whence  the  Emperor  communicates  his 
orders  to  Cronstadt,  and  is  apprised  of  everything 
that  passes  at  St.  Petersburgh. 

It  might  interest  many  readers  to  have  a  more  mi- 
nute description  of  the  boudoir,  the  chambre  a  coucher, 
toilette,  the  cabinet  du  travail,  &c.,  &c.,  of  the  Em- 
peror and  Empress ;  but  after  all  they  live  pretty  much 
as  others  of  high  rank,  and  if  they  are  remarkable  for 


•>  \ 


\ 


128 


VISIT    TO    CZAIISKOESELO. 


anything  peculiar,  it  is  for  the  regularity  of  tlieir 
habits.  Theirs  is  a  household  of  most  domestic  and 
affectionate  intercourse.  Their  children  are  lovely, 
and  their  attendants  devotedly  attached  to  them. 

Our  inspection  of  this  residence  occupied  us  so  long, 
that  we  had  barely  time  to  drive  back  for  the  dinner 
that  Pas  prepared  at  the  ambassador's,  and  to  re- 
turn late  at  night  to  St.  Petersburgh.  I  omitted 
to  mention  that  during  the  week  Count  Nesselrode 
had  called,  and  informed  us  that  the  Empress  in- 
tended to  invite  us  to  a  reception  at  the  country  re- 
sidence of  Czarskoeselo,  and  that  it  would  probably 
take  place  on  the  Sunday  following.  He  advised  us, 
as  it  was  on  our  road  to  Moscow,  to  arrange  so 
that  we  should  make  our  visit  to  her  Imperial  Majesty 
our  first  day's  journey ;  at  the  same  time  the  Count, 
in  the  most  obliging  manner,  offered  us  one  of  tlie 
Emperor's  field  jagers  to  accompany  us,  and  arrange 
our  post-horses  and  journey  to  Moscow.  The  advice 
was  willingly  embraced ;  and  having  received  her 
Imperial  Majesty's  invitation  agreeably  to  the  intima- 
tion given,  we  started  in  two  carriages  on  Sunday, 
the  25th  of  October,  for  Czarskoeselo  and  Moscow, 
two  maids  and  two  servants  preceding  our  chariot 
with  our  camp-beds,  &c.  &c.  Our  cook  and  field 
jager  had  already  gone  before  to  make  preparations. 
These  three  vehicles  formed  our  line  of  march. 
Lord  and  Lady  Durham,  and  other  distinguished 
guests,  were  invited  also  to  Czarskoeselo.  Our 
apartments  were  in  the  Great  Palace,  built  by  the 
Empress  Catherine,  and  much  embellished  and  beau- 
tified by  the  Emperor  Alexander. 


^ 


/ 


AUDIENCE    WITH    THE    EIVIPRESS. 


129 


The  present  Emperor  and  Empress  reside  at  a  small 
palace,  adjoining  that  which  Nicliolas  occupied  while 
Grand  Duke,  but  which  was  originally  built  by  the 
Empress  Catherine  for  the  Emperor  Alexander  at  the 
time  of  his  marriage. 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  our  arrival,  car- 
riages were  sent  for  us,  to  proceed  to  our  presentation 
to  the  Empress,  and  to  dinner.     We  found  a  large 
circle    present  in    a    very    spacious    room   of  three 
compartments,  separated  by  columns.     In  the  centre 
division  were  laid  the  tables  for  dinner ;  in  the  end 
compartment   the    company   were   assembled.      The 
Nesselrodes  had  preceded  us,   and  many  of  our  St. 
Petersburgh  acquaintance  were  already  arrived.     It 
was   uncertain  in  what  manner  the  Empress  would 
receive  us,  whether  we  were  to  be  presented  by  our 
own  ambassador,  or  by  the  high  officers  and  dames 
dhonneur  of  the   court.     At   length  we   found  that 
the   Empress   had    commanded   her    Grand    Maitre, 
Prince  Volkouski,  and  Madame   Nesselrode,    wife  of 
the  minister  for  foreign  affairs,  to  introduce  us,  and  we 
were  honoured  with  a  private   audience  of  her  Im- 
perial Majesty.      She    entered    the    apartment   into 
which  we    were   introduced    with   the    Grand    Duke 
Heritier,    Cesarowitch.     She    came   immediately   up 
to   me,   and  in  the  most  gracious   manner  accosted 
me  as  an  old  acquaintance,  remembering  me  (she  was 
pleased  to  say)  perfectly  in  1813  in  Silesia.     The  in- 
describable majesty  of  deportment   and    fascinating 
grace  that  mark  this  illustrious  personage  are  very 
peculiar.     Celebrated  as  are  all  the  females  connected 

VOL.  I. 


'ill 


\ 


I    . 


^ 


\ 


130 


DINNER    WITH    HER    MAJESTY. 


MODE    OF    SERVING. 


131 


with  the  lamented  and  beautiful  Queen  of  Prussia, 
there  is  none  of  them  more  bewitching  in  manners 
tlian  the  Empress  of  Russia;  nor  is  there  existing, 
according  to  all  reports,  so  excellent  and  perfect  a 
being.  After  a  kind  and  gracious  conversation 
with  me,  she  turned  to  my  companions,  and,  while 
talking  to  them,  the  Cesarowitch  approached  me.  He  is 
eighteen,  remarkably  tall  and  handsome,  has  a  benign 
countenance  and  a  princely  air,  and  is  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  handsomest  young  men  that  can  be  seen.  The 
Princess  Olga,  the  younger  of  two  sisters,  was  in  the 
back  ground ;  she  appeared  about  fourteen  or  fifteen, 
fair  and  delicate,  but  tall,  with  very  brilliant  and 
large  sparkling  eyes. 

Her  elder  sister,  we  understood  afterwards,  was  ill 
and  not  able  to  appear,  but,  at  a  subsequent  period, 
I  often  saw  her  ;  and  although,  perhaps,  she  is  not 
at  first  so  striking  as  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga,  she 
has  an  extraordinary  resemblance  to  the  Emperor, 
and  her  countenance  has  all  that  ingenuousness  and 
intelligence  which  characterise  her  Imperial  father. 
She  is  (I  believe)  two  years  older  than  her  sister. 
After  half  an  hour's  conversation,  the  Empress  pro- 
ceeded to  the  general  reception-room,  and  making  her 
tournee,  &c.,  to  the  ladies,  the  ministers,  the  gentlemen, 
the  officers,  &c.,  that  were  assembled,  she  went  into  the 
dinner-room,  the  ladies  following  her  successively  ac- 
cording to  their  rank,  and  then  the  gentlemen.  I  was 
directed  to  sit  on  the  left  of  the  grand  chamberlain,  op- 
posite the  Empress,  the  American  ambassador  sitting  on 
his  right.     The  Empress  sat  next  her  son  and  her 


daughter,  the  other  ladies rangingin  a  line  on  each  side. 
The  dinner  was  served  d  la  Husse,  each  plate  handed 
round,  the  dessert  and  decorations  filling  up  the  centre 
of  the  tables.  This  mode  of  managing  the  dinner  is 
now  very  generally  introduced  throughout  the  Euro- 
pean continent,  England  alone  preserving  the  custom 
of  placing  the  dishes  upon  the  table,  and  having  them 
carved  by  the  master  and  mistress  or  their  immediate 
intimates. 

In   Russia,  however,  I  observed   generally  that— 
whereas  a  great  dinner  in  other  places,  either  abroad 
or  at  home,  consists  of  eighteen  or  twenty-four  different 
entries  ^nd  entremets  in  each  course-the  greatest  din- 
ners in  St.  Petersburgh  have  only  six  or  eight  entries, 
the  same    being  so  multiplied  that  the  dinner  goes 
on    rapidly,   and  is  universally  well  served.     Eveiy 
luxury  and  production  of  the  world  can   be  procured 
m  this  capital,  and  nothing  can  exceed  the  splendour 
comforts,  and  good  taste  of  the  court  and  the  aristo- 
cracy.    I  must  observe,   however,  in  fairness,  when 
speaking  of  the  table,  that  vegetables  and  fruits  alone 
are  an   exception ;    these  are  very   inferior  to  those 
grown  in   France   and    England,   and   the   meat   in 
winter   goes   through   certain   processes,   when  in  a 
frozen  state,  (before  it  is  cooked,)  that  make  it  more 
tasteless  than  in  England.     Beef  in  general  is  good 
but  I  never  ate  good   mutton  in   Russia,   except  at 
Count  Nesselrode's  table,  and  then  it  was  produced 
as  a  species  of  feast. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  repast  we  returned  to  the 
end   division    of    the    apartment    I   have   described, 

K  2 


MM 


T 


13-2 


IMPERIAL    HAr.L 


UNEXPECTED    ANNOUNCEMENT. 


1  83 


f    il 


!«i 


while  a  numerous  band  of  servants  swept  away  tlie 
dinner-tables  and  cleared  the  middle  space.  In  about 
an  hour  we  were  dismissed,  after  the  Empress  had 
gone  round  the  circle  saying  something  kind  and 
agreeable  to  every  one,  and  we  were  then  informed 
that  we  should  be  expected  to  return  at  eight  o'clock 
for  a  ball,  the  ladies  in  an  entire  new  dress.  In- 
deed the  essential  business  of  la  toilette  seemed  to  be  at 
its  meridian.  The  Empress  sets  an  example  by  bestow- 
ing every  possible  pains  on  her  appearance,  which, 
aided  by  her  matchless  jewels,  and  the  precious  ap- 
pendages of  the  crown,  displayed  on  so  fine  a  person, 
makes  her  shine  forth  as  a  perfect  paragon. 

On  returning  for  the  ball,  we  found  the  Emperor's 
younger  children,  the  two  Grand  Dukes  Michael  and 
Nicholas,  with  their  governesses  and  preceptors,  assem- 
bled in  the  outer  room,  where  a  large  montagne  Russc 
had  been  erected  for  their  amusement,  in  using  which 
they  often  got  the  Emperor  and  ladies  of  the  court 
to  join.  The  two  boys  are  fair,  but  strong  and 
healthy.  They  were  dressed  en  Cossaque,  spoke  Eng- 
lish, and  had  a  Scotch  lady  in  charge  of  them,  who 
was  very  conversable  and  agreeable.  She  had  been 
nineteen  years  in  the  Imperial  family,  and  gave  me 
the  most  interesting  account  of  the  perfection  of  its 
interior,  and  of  the  qualities  of  the  Emperor  as  a 
father,  husband,  and  master,  which  could  only  be 
surpassed  by  those  of  the  Empress  as  a  mother  and  a 
wife.  Having  noticed  and  communicated  with  all  the 
nursery  department,  we  went  to  the  ball-room,  and 
shortly  afterwards  the  Empress  appeared.     She  led  off 


X 


the  dance  with  her  son,  and  it  was  kept  up  with  spirit 
till  twelve,  her  Majesty  really  dancing  as  if  she  were 
fifteen,  and  looking  much  more  like  the  sister  than 
the    mother    of    the  Cesarowitch.     It    is   useless   to 
enumerate  all  the  company  that  graced  this  splendid 
ball.     The  elite  of  Petersburg!!  arc  well  known.     All 
were  present.      General    Benkendortf  was    the    only 
aide-de-camp  general  of  the  Emperor  that  was  absent 
with  his  Imperial  Majesty,  so  that  all  the  most  distin- 
guished general  oflftcers  were  in  the  room.     General 
Czernichefi;  minister  of  war.  General  Menzikoff,  minis- 
ter of  marine.  Princes  Troubetskoi,  Chichcriiii,  Narich- 
ken,  Volkouski,  Apraxin,  &c.  &c.,  were  amongst  the 
most  distinguished  ;  while  the  beauties  were  Madame 
Krudener,    Pashkoff,   Poushkin,   Natalie,    Strogonoff, 
Worouzow,  Dashkoff,  &c.,  and   various  others  whom 
I  may  possibly  hereafter  more  particularly  point  out. 

At  supper  I  was  ordered  to  sit  by  the  Empress  ;  at 
the  other  side  was  our  ambassador ;  and  I  must  say 
her  Majesty  was  so  kind  and  agreeable,  that  it  was 
difficult  to  discover  to  which  of  her  neighbours  she 
was  most  condescending. 

During  the  dance,  and  just  before  supper,  a  courier 
was  announced  as  having  arrived  from  the  Emperor. 
The  whole  family,  as  if  electrified,  quitted  the  room. 
It  was  said  that  his  Majesty  often  came  quite  un- 
expectedly, and  when  such  an  announcement  was 
made,  it  was  followed  often  by  the  Emperor  walking 
into  the  room  alone.  On  this  occasion,  however, 
it  was  not  expected,  as  it  was  well  known  his  suffer- 
ings from  his  fall  liad  been  very  severe.      But  such  is 


t 


tatt^-- 


^mmmmm0^' 


I 


134 


TRAVELLING    PARTY. 


Nicholas — so  rapid  sometimes  in  his  decisions,  so 
prompt  in  their  execution.  The  idolatry  in  which 
he  is  held  by  his  family  is  remarkable — an  irresistible 
proof  of  the  inherent  goodness  of  his  nature. 

Towards  one  o'clock  p.m.,  the  Empress  retiring,  we 
were  conveyed  back  in  the  court  carriages  to  our 
apartments.  On  the  following  morning  we  had 
arranged  with  the  Prince  Dolgorouki  to  inspect  the 
palace,  the  gardens,  the  farm,  &c.,  of  Czarskoeselo, 
previously  to  our  setting  out  on  our  expedition  to 
Moscow ;  but  we  were  anxious  to  get  to  the  first 
station  in  the  evening,  viz.  to  Pomeraini,  where  we 
had  settled  to  sleep.  At  eleven  a.m.  on  the  2nd 
October,  Prince  Dolgorouki  had  the  carriages  ready 
for  us.  We  all  set  out  in  a  char-a-banc  double.  In 
addition  to  the  ambassador  and  ambassadress,  and 
Prince  Dolgorouki,  Prince  Troubetskoi,  an  officer  of 
the  chevalier  garde,  the  ambassador's  family,  and 
the  Countesse  Sophie  Modena,  dame  d'honneur  of 
the  Empress,  of  singularly  good  humour,  playful 
talent,  and  amiability,  formed  the  party.  The  morn- 
ing was  bleak  and  cold,  but  all  determined  to  be  very 
agreeable. 


» 


t 


EMI'IIESS    CATHERINE  S    BATHS. 


135 


CHAPTER  X. 


Empress  Catherine's  Baths — The  Arsenal  —Trophies  and  Armour 
— Imperial  Dairy — Magnificent  Palace — Its  Interior— Recep- 
tion Rooms — Chapel — Gateluna — Posting  in  Russia — Russian 
Roads — Wagons,  Inns,  Villages  —Government  Inns — Travelling 
Fare —Delicacies. 


Our  first  drive  was  to  the  magnificent  stone  gate  and 
archway  which  the  Emperor  Alexander,  shortly 
before  his  death,  had  caused  to  be  erected  to  the 
memory  of  the  brave  men  who  had  served  with  him 
in  the  campaigns  of  1813,  1814,  and  1815.  Thegate 
is  of  black  marble,  the  architecture  very  simple,  the 
motto  even  more  so.  In  large  gold  letters  may 
be  read,  "  A  mes  Braves  Compagnons  d'Armes." 
The  next  objects  are  the  baths  of  the  late  Empress 
Catherine,  and  it  is  related  that  she  used  to  retire 
from  the  palace  to  this  her  favourite  retreat.  The 
building  is  little  worthy  of  note,  and  the  rooms  small 
and  low,  but  the  extraordinary  sight  here  is  the  im- 
mense jasper  block  in  which  the  bath  is  formed. 
This  is  the  most  gigantic  specimen  of  the  kind  in  the 
world. 

Our  next  visit  was  to  the  arsenal :  this  is  rather 


i 


f 


A 


\\ 


i\ 


.  I 


/ 


If 


136 


THE    ARSENAL. 


a  curious  and  an  unusual  edifice  for  the  middle  of  a 
pleasure  ground ;  the  Emperor  Alexander  commenced 
it,  but  it  has  been  greatly  added  to  by  Nicholas.  It 
is  in  the  shape  of  a  turret  four  stories  high,  with 
as  many  rooms  on  each  floor.  The  first  floor  con- 
tains an  apartment  for  the  Empress,  a  bedroom,  a 
saloon,  a  salle-a-manger^  and  servants'  waiting-room. 
These  are  furnished  with  painted  glass,  old  black  ebony 
chairs,  and  other  furniture  of  rare  description,  with 
pictures  of  sea  engagements  between  the  Swedes  and 
the  Russians,  and  battle-pieces.  The  ornamental  de- 
corations of  these  rooms  are  reliques  of  every  kind, 
agate  cups,  filagree  ornaments,  &c. ;  and  there  are  also 
casts,  taken  immediately  after  death,  of  Peter  the 
Great,  Catherine  II.,  and  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden, 
which  are  disposed  in  the  room  whicli  contains 
them.  Winding  up  a  narrow  stone  staircase,  you 
enter  a  circular  room,  where  four  knights  armed 
cap-a-pie  are  mounted  on  stuffed  horses,  the  tails, 
skins,  &c.,  of  these  animals  being  natural,  and  the 
eyes  well  and  ingeniously  imitated.  Around  the 
walls  are  suspended  the  standards,  ancient  armour, 
and  trophies  taken  in  the  different  Turkish  wars  of 
successive  reigns.  All  the  warlike  insignia  captured 
in  the  campaign  against  Napoleon  are  concentrated 
in  a  division  of  this  apartment,  and  are  placed  under 
the  Emperor  Alexander's  sword  and  uniform ;  and 
while  on  the  one  side  you  see  the  keys  of  Paris  hanging 
under  the  commanding  ensigns  of  Russia,  you  observe, 
on  the  other,  similar  pendants  of  the  keys  of  Adria- 
nople,  enriched  by  being  contained  in  a  gorgeous  glass 


TROPHIES    AND    ARMOUR. 


137 


case :  you  then  contemplate  in  the  inner  apartment  a 
diamond  sword,  and  housings  complete,  of  immense 
value,  presented  at  the  late  peace  of  Adrianople,  by 
Sultan  Mahmoud  to  the  Emperor  ;  and  around  this 
apartment  are  also  innumerable  sabres,  swords,  pistols, 
and  guns  of  every  description,  relative  to  every  one 
of  which  there  is  a  some  tradition  or  anecdote.  At 
the  top  of  this  armed  hall  hang  the  banners  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  George,  the  first  military  order  of  Russia, 
and  on  appropriate  tablets  are  the  names  of  all  the 
members  belonging  to  it.  This  military  temple,  which 
is  more  properly  the  character  of  the  building,  is  made 
to  assume  a  very  rich  appearance  by  a  quantity 
of  beautifully  painted  glass.  On  leaving  the  arsenal, 
you  are  invited  to  write  your  name  in  a  book  kept 
for  the  purpose  of  recording  the  visitors  who  have 
frequented  it. 

A  very  fine  gothic  temple  was  the  next  sight,  on 
the  lofty  summit  of  which  is  placed  the  marble  figure 
of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  sculptor  Thorwaldsen.  It  is 
inferior,  in  my  opinion,  to  his  works  at  Copenhagen, 
and  the  expression  given  by  the  artist  to  his  represen- 
tation of  our  Saviour  is  extremely  undignified  and 
uninviting.  The  position  of  the  statue,  however,  has 
its  admirers. 

Descending  from  this  high  tower,  we  drove  to  La 
Ferme  Anglaise.  Here  the  Emperor  Alexander,  after 
his  last  visit  to  England,  established,  on  the  plan  of 
Mr.  Coke  of  Norfolk,  or  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  a  com- 
plete English  farm-house,  stead,  and  all  its  appur- 
tenances.     lli>    Majesty   likewise    broughl     over     an 


\* 


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1) 


i 


138 


IMPERIAL    DAIRY. 


English  farmer  and  his  wife,  and  settled  the  latter 
as  a  dairy-maid.  A  cottage,  in  the  English  style, 
forms  one  side,  and  a  dairy  the  other,  of  the  build- 
ing. In  this  little  retreat  the  Emperor  Alexander 
was  fond  of  spending  his  leisure  time.  A  small 
parlour  hung  with  views  of  interesting  spots,  and 
portraits  of  the  Empress  and  friends,  are  the  simple 
decorations.  The  dairy  behind,  like  those  in  Eng- 
land, is  fitted  up  with  white  delf,  tin  cans,  &c. 
We  had  excellent  cheese,  cream,  and  butter  pre- 
sented to  us  by  the  dairy-maid,  and  then  went  to 
see  the  cowhouse  and  yard.  A  building,  with  double 
stalling  on  each  side  for  cattle,  and  a  broad  floor- 
walk  in  the  middle,  forms  one-of  the  largest  recepta- 
cles for  cows  I  ever  saw.  Nothing  can  be  more 
beautifully  kept,  as  to  cleanliness  and  order.  Amongst 
the  cattle  were  cows  of  all  our  English  breeds. 
There  were  also  bulls  of  the  Holderness,  Hereford, 
short-horn,  Devon,  and  Ayrshire  race;  in  short, 
though  the  building  was  different  from  others  of  the 
kind,  one  might  feel  oneself  transported  to  a  dairy 
farm  in  England,  in  the  midst  of  the  Emperor's 
gardens  in  Russia. 

Adjoining  the  farm  is  an  establishment  which  does 
honour  to  the  feelings  of  humanity— a  large  range  of 
stables  and  yards  containing  the  old  worn-out  favourite 
chargers  and  horses  of  the  Emperors  Alexander  and 
Nicholas,  who  are  destined,  after  their  long  services,  to 
be  petted  and  fed  with  care  and  tenderness  for  the 
rest  of  their  lives.  There  is  also  an  establishment  of 
lamas,    which    have    been     brought    from    America, 


\ 


MAGNIFICENT   PALACE. 


139 


and  are   allowed  to   increase  and   multiply   exceed- 
ingly. 

During  the  whole  of  this  expedition  and  the  exa- 
mination of  these  objects,  we  were  highly  delighted 
with  the  society  of  Prince  Dolgorouki  and  the  Countess 
Sophie.  On  our  return  to  the  palace,  we  inspected  the 
facade  of  the  edifice ;  its  front  is  three  hundred  feet  in 
length,  with  two  wings,  forming  three  sides  of  a  square ; 
opposite,  in  a  semicircular  form,  are  ranges  of  second- 
ary lodgings  for  attendants,  of  one  story,  round  the 
great  circumference  which  encloses  the  area  of  the 
palace,  in  the  centre  of  which  are  columns  and  mas- 
sive gates.  A  road  runs  in  front,  which  communi- 
cates with  the  large  gardens  and  pleasure-grounds 
that  surround  both  the  palaces.  The  low  buildings  I 
have  described  are  surmounted  with  a  succession  of 
green  copper  cupolas,  giving  a  great  brilliancy  to  their 
aspect.  In  the  front  of  the  palace  these  ornaments 
had  formerly  been  gilt,  and,  from  the  great  extent  of 
the  facade  and  the  large  dimensions  of  all  the  deco- 
rations, the  blaze  of  such  a  golden  superficies  must 
have  been  very  splendid  and  conspicuous.  I  suppose 
the  Imperial  treasury  did  not  find  it  convenient  to 
continue  this  expense,  for  the  parts  formerly  gilded  are 
now  painted  a  dingy  orange,  which  must  greatly 
detract  from  their  former  beauty.  The  right  side,  as 
the  palace  fronts  you,  is  disposed  for  the  private  apart- 
ments and  residence  of  the  Imperial  family.  In  the 
left  are  the  state-rooms,  and  those  dedicated  to 
reception.  In  the  centre  is  the  staircase,  which  is 
small  and  not  imposing,  nor  by  any  means  correspon- 


l 


\ 


\ 


\\ 


140 


ITS    INTERIOR. 


: 


} 


\ 


dent  with  the  other  part  of  the  magnificent  suite,  and 
the  many  gorgeous  appendages  of  this  enclianting 
palace. 

The  apartments  that  are  appropriated  to  tlie  Impe- 
rial family  are  furnished  and  fitted  up  in  a  sump- 
tuous manner;  they  sliow  you  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander's just  as  he  left  them.  And  here  I  cannot  resist 
again  calling  attention  to  the  singular  and  respectful 
superstition  which  prevails  in  Russia  towards  those 
who  are  departed.  In  this  palace  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander's boots,  handkerchief,  pencils,  penknife,  scis- 
sors, wax,  pens,  &c.,  and  even  fragments  of  the 
biscuit  he  was  eating,  all  remain  on  the  table  pre- 
cisely as  they  were  at  the  moment  of  his  dej)arture. 
A  singular  circumstance  may  be  recorded,  as  to  his 
little  peculiarities  of  character.  In  each  room  he  in- 
liabitcd,  he  caused  to  be  placed  a  tray  containing  all 
sorts  of  writing  materials ;  and  the  regularity  and 
order  of  this  arrangement  are  curious,  as  well  as  his 
extreme  precision  in  trifles. 

From  the  suite  of  rooms  of  the  Emperor  Alexander 
we  proceeded  through  that  of  the  Empress  Mother, 
which  is  very  splendid,  and  then  through  that  of  the 
Empress  Catherine,  which  have  not  been  occujued 
since  her  death.  These  are  beyond  everything  rich  ; 
the  parquets  inlaid  with  mother-of-pearl  and  lapis 
lazuli,  the  verd  antique  columns  and  architraves  of 
the  doors  and  windows,  can  scarcely  be  done  justice 
to  by  description.  One  remarkable  room,  worked  in 
amber,  forms  a  combination  of  the  richest  furnishini' 
that  ingenuity  can  devise. 


V'  ' 


1 


RECEPTION    ROOM—  CHAPEL. 


141 


The  public  reception  salons  are  vast  and  imperial. 
I  was  much  struck  with  the  unique  effect  produced,  at 
each  end  of  the  great  chamber  of  audience,  by  a  set 
of  old  Chinese  vases,  piled  one  above  another  in  a 
sort   of  pyramid.     We   next    entered   the   orangery, 
adjoining  which  are  various  summer  rooms,  temples, 
&c.,  which  have  been  added  by  the  present  Emperor. 
Here,  while  we  were  examining  the  busts  and  statues, 
the  Empress  rode  by  with  her  daughters,  in  English 
Paget-blue  riding-habits,  attended  by  a  dame  d'hon- 
neur,  and  some  of  the  Emperor's  aides-de-camp  gene- 
raux.     All  these  ladies  seemed  to  be  well  set  on  horse- 
back, and  good   riders.     We   returned   through    the 
family  chapel  of  the  palace  to  our  own  lodging-rooms. 
This  chapel,  fitted  up  for  the  private  devotion  of  the 
Imperial  family,  is   a   mass   of  gold    ornament   and 
decoration.     The  choristers  occasionally  sing  in  pub 
lie,    and  so   extraordinary    are   their   voices,  and   so 
perfect  their  science,    that  it    is  related   of  Catalani 
that    she   exclaimed    on  hearing   them,    "  My    song- 
is    of    this    world,    but    their    chant    is    of   realms 
above." 

The  Prince  Dolgorouki  had  ordered  an  early  dinner 
for  us,  previously  to  our  going  on  to  Pomeraine. 
The  ambassador's  family  returned  to  Peterhoff*,  but 
we  sat  down,  and,  after  making  an  incomparable 
repast,  took  leave  of  our  friends  in  the  palace, 
having  been  visited  by  Prince  Volkouski  and  others ; 
and,  getting  into  our  carriage,  commenced  our  route 
to  Moscow. 


i 


\ 


I 


!  ( 


142 


GATELUNA. 


POSTING    IN    RUSSIA. 


143 


Before  leaving  Czarskoeselo,  I  should  in  some 
degree  describe  the  town  and  environs,  which  were 
raised  as  if  by  magic  at  the  wish  of  the  Emperor. 
It  has  not  yet  above  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  It 
has  colleges  and  public  buildings;  a  magnificent 
road  leads  to  the  capital,  with  marble  pyramids  to 
mark  the  distances  in  wersts.  It  is  lighted  by  nearly 
three  thousand  lanterns. 

Another  palace  of  the  Imperial  family  is  at  Gate- 
luna,  about  fifty  wersts  from  Petersburgh.  It  was 
the  favourite  residence  of  Paul  I.  In  this  town  there 
is  a  fine  manufacture  of  china,  and  hospitals  on  a 
large  scale;  also  a  magnificent  chaussee  between 
the  palaces.  Gateluna  is  more  elegant,  but  not  so 
sumptuous  as  the  other,  which  is  laid  out  more  in 
the  English  garden  style.  There  are  elevated  ter- 
races, lakes,  and  islands,  pheasantries  and  bosquets, 
of  all  sizes  and  dimensions.  There  is  also  a  granite 
obelisk  of  more  than  one  hundred  feet  high,  with 
various  other  striking  objects. 

It  was  not  without  some  fears  that  I  decided, 
thus  late  in  the  season,  to  take  a  journey  of 
nearly  five  hundred  English  miles,  and  to  return 
in  sufficient  time  to  meet  the  Emperor  and  the 
court  when  they  came  to  Petersburgh  for  the  winter 
season;  but  yet  so  many  had  assured  me  that 
Russia  was  only  to  be  seen  in  Moscow— that  it 
was  the  only  spot  where  the  union  between  Europe 
and  Asia  could  be  contemplated — that  it  was  in 
vain   to   form   any   opinion   of  this  empire   without 


examining  Moscow, — that  I  determined,  whatever 
might  be  the  inconvenience,  not  to  omit  the  sole 
opportunity  I  might  have  in  my  life  of  visiting 
this  extraordinary  city. 

The  stations  of  our  journey,  as  well  as  the  payment 
of  our  horses  and  postilions,  were,  as  I  said  before, 
arranged    by    the   feld  jager    given    us    by   Count 
Nesselrode.     We    had    no    trouble   whatever.      We 
travelled   with  six  horses   to  our   chariot,  four  to  a 
britchka,    and  two   to   the  caleche  of  the  cook  and 
courier.     In  Russia  the  horses  are  collected  by  the 
viaitre  des  posies.     This  service,  done  entirely  under 
the    government,    is   far   better   performed    than   in 
Sweden.     The  peasants  bring  their  Jiorses  with  har- 
ness, the  coachmen  always  drive,  and  must  have  a 
seat  on  some  part  of  the  carriage,  although  it  seems 
wholly  indifferent  to  them  where.    Their  management 
of  the  horses  and  reins  is  peculiar,  for  after  they  have 
bound  together  in  all  sorts  of  knots  these  little  lean 
Tartar  horses,  or  rather  rats,  they  tie  all  the  cords,  where 
the  various  ends  of  the  ropes  (by  which  they  drive)  meet, 
round  their  bodies,  and  mounting  rapidly  any  part  of 
the  vehicle  where  they  can  stick  on,   they  move  off*, 
uttering   the   wildest  cries,   which   are   subsequently 
modulated   into   the   strangest  whistles;  and  one  or 
other  of  these  agreeable  noises  is  kept  up  during  the 
whole  of  the  station.     The  pace  is  generally  a  hand 
gallop  wherever  the  road  is  good ;  but  of  course,  when 
the  little  beasts  are  tired  and  jaded,  and  the  weather 
is  bad,  the  pace  is  more  moderate.     Posting  is  ex- 
tremely cheap   in    Russia.     The   horses   are   always 


."^N 


W*^ 


i 


k 


144 


RUSSIAN    UOADS. 


driven  abreast.  There  are  no  ostlers  or  extra  cliarges. 
The  driver's  drink-money  should  be  left  to  the  feld 
jager  or  courier,  though  you  may,  if  you  please,  en- 
courage the  driver  occasionally  to  go  faster  by  show- 
ing him  a  piece  of  money  in  your  fingers,  which  has 
a  great  effect.  By  a  government  order  previously 
sent,  our  horses  were  always  ready,  and  there  was 
no  delay. 

The  chaussee  now  completed  between  Peters- 
burgh  and  Moscow  is,  without  exception,  the  most 
magnificent  public  work  imaginable.  It  runs  nearly 
quite  level  for  five  hundred  English  miles,  double 
the  width  of  the  Great  North  Road,  and  is  macadam- 
ised and  kept  along  the  whole  line  in  as  perfect  a 
state  as  the  road  from  London  to  Bath.  The  bridges 
are  made  in  an  expensive  manner,  as  well  as  the 
stone-work  and  iron  railings,  which  are  well  finished 
and  highly  wrought.  The  posts  and  rails  which 
are  fixed  at  the  sides  of  nearly  the  whole  route, 
instead  of  being,  as  in  England,  slender  and  in- 
significant, are  large,  round,  and  massive,  and 
the  railings  thick.  Three  or  four  posts  are  con- 
nected together ;  then,  at  intervals,  there  is  a  single 
post,  allowing  a  way  for  cattle  or  passengers  to  come 
from  the  sides  into  the  road.  The  enclosures  around 
the  trees,  which  in  various  places  are  planted  on 
each  side,  are  solid  and  large,  painted  green  ;  and 
the  whole  of  these  expensive  additions  appear  to  be 
kept  in  the  highest  state  of  order  and  repair.  At 
every  thirty  wersts  on  the  road  are  a  surveyor's  house 
and  government  establishment.     This  consists   of  a 


WAGONS,    TNNS,    VILLAGF.S. 


145 


nice  mansion,  with  garden,  offices,  and  neat  enclosures 
on  each  side  ;  and  the  residence,  together  with  a 
salary,  is  given  by  the  government  to  this  officer. 
The  number  of  men  employed  in  working  on  the 
road  exceeds  all  belief,  which  can  alone  account  for 
the  order  in  which  it  is  kept.  The  materials  for 
repairing  it,  granite  and  gravel,  appear  good. 
The  whole  country  through  which  it  runs  is  one 
vast  plain,  so  that  there  is  little  expense  of  level- 
ling or  cutting  through  hills ;  but  I  should  appre- 
hend that  the  low  marshy  ground,  which  seems 
frequent,  must  have  required  skilful  surveys  and 
engineering  of  an  expensive  nature.  The  trafllc 
on  the  line  by  the  Russian  wagons,  which  I  have 
already  described,  is  prodigious.  The  traveller  in  his 
caliche  is  frequently  stopped  for  a  considerable  period 
by  the  string  of  these  innumerable  carriages ;  they 
often  cover  the  face  of  the  country  for  many  English 
miles. 

In  addition  to  the  surveyors'  houses  are  pub- 
lic inns,  which  the  Emperor  has  caused  to  be  built, 
generally  at  every  thirty  or  forty  wersts,  as  post- 
houses  or  stations.  These  inns  are  handsomely 
painted,  and  furnished  with  mirrors,  silk  sofas  and 
chairs,  polished  mahogany  arinoires,  and  everything 
costly  and  handsome,  excepting  beds,  which  are  not 
to  be  found  anywhere.  Russian  villages  are  usually 
built  of  wood,  and  if  you  picture  to  yourself  a  number  of 
decayed  English  farm-houses  or  barns,  placed  with  their 
gablfe  ends  to  the  road,  and  then  ranged  in  a  line,  with 
a  wooden  porch  or  entrance  to  each,  you  have  ex- 

VOL.  I.  L 


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♦ , 


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1 1 


I    ' 


146 


GOVERNMENT    INNS. 


i 


actly  the  appearance  of  the  greater  part  of  the  Russian 
villages.  Imagine  next,  amidst  these  dilapidated 
wooden  hovels,  a  very  large  square  white  or  yellow 
washed  brick  building,  regularly  built,  enclosed  with 
a  wall,  stabling  and  offices  behind ;  this  is  the  inn 
or  posting-house  described.  Then  comes  a  stupen- 
dous church,  with  a  large  turret,  and  blue  or  green 
painted  cupola,  or  white  or  yellow,  as  the  station- 
house.  This  is  the  description  of  a  Russian  post  or 
station,  and  the  two  great  objects,  the  church  and  inn, 
seem  to  rise  out  of  the  mass  of  discomfort  which  sur- 
rounds them. 

The  interior  of  all  these  government  post-houses  is 
formed  with  a  staircase  in  the  centre,  a  suite  of  rooms, 
gallery,  and  lobby  on  each  side,  alike  spacious  and  airy, 
and  the  floors  always  nice,  as  is  everything  around 
them.  Servants  and  the  middle  and  lower  class  of 
people  never  think  of  having  beds  in  the  inns ;  they 
lie  down  in  their  clothes,  either  on  chairs,  benches,  or 
hard  mattresses,  and  you  never  find  the  convenience 
of  a  bed  anywhere.  There  are  other  circumstances 
equally  inconvenient  to  an  English  traveller,  and 
more  disagreeable  ;  but  in  the  new  government  esta- 
blishments these  deficiencies  will  be  from  time  to  time 
ameliorated  and  supplied,  and  constant  travelling  on 
these  new  lines  of  road  will  no  doubt  tend,  in  a  very 
short  time,  to  make  everything  comfortable. 

I  observed  that  the  inns  were  generally  kept  by  a 
German  and  his  wife,  the  former  being  the  landlord  and 
postmaster,  if  acquainted  with  the  Russian  language  : 
and  I  had  afterwards  occasion  to  remark,  that,  throusrh- 


ASYLUMS    FOR    CHILDREN. 


147 


<  J 


i 


V 


( 


{ 


out  the  new  institutions  and  establishments  in  Russia, 
the  greater  part  of  the  directors  and  instructors  were 
from  Germany.  This  shows  the  wisdom  of  the  founders ; 
for,  not  having  persons  in  Russia  to  fill  such  situa- 
tions, they  judiciously  resort  to  foreigners,  making  it 
well  worth  their  while  to  lay  the  foundation,  and  in  a 
few  years  these  persons  instruct  natives  to  fill  their 
places. 

A  lottery  has  just  taken  place  at  St.  Petersburgh, 
of  which  the  product,  30,000  roubles,  are  employed  in 
forming  places  of  refuge,  where  poor  children  from 
three  to  seven  years  old  will  be  received.     They  here 
receive  religious  instruction,  and  are  taught  to  read, 
to  write,  and  to  work.     The  prizes  were  composed 
of  the  works  of  the  first  ladies  in  Petersburgh,  and 
of  beautiful  articles  in  gold,  porcelain,  &c.     The  Em- 
press had  given  an  embroidered  arm-chair,   worked 
by  herself,  which  has  been  gained  by  an  officer  of 
the  police.      Five  thousand  roubles  have  been  offered 
to  him  for  it,  but  he  will  not  part  with  it.     Two  of 
these  asylums  are  already  open ;   the  one  at  the  De- 
midoff  hospital,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Countess 
Julia  Strogonoff;  of  the  other,  which  is  at  the  Wasilie 
Ostroff;  the  patroness  is  Mademoiselle  Hander,  daugh- 
ter of  Baron  Stigliz  ;    the  third  will  be  inaugurated 
hereafter;   it  was  founded  by  the  tobacco-merchant, 
Soukoff*;  the  lady-patroness  is  Madame  Smirnoff,  for- 
merly Roseti.    This  last  asylum  is  near  the  Palankine 
bridge.  In  February  last  the  distribution  of  the  prizes 
took  place  at  the  Institution  of  St.  Catherine,  in  the 
presence  of  the  Emperor,  the  hereditary  Prince,  and 

L  2 


148 


CONFLAGRATION. 


of  the  three  Imperial  Princesses,  the  Empress  herself 
fixing  the  numbers.  Two  young  ladies,  Krukofixy, 
were  deemed  worthy  of  prizes  by  their  good  conduct, 
and  their  success  in  their  studies,  but,  being  day- 
scholars,  they  had  no  right  to  this  honourable  distinc- 
tion ;  and  the  Empress,  to  compensate  them,  took  off 
two  magnificent  bracelets  which  she  wore,  and  fastened 
them  on  the  arms  of  the  young  ladies.  It  is  by  acts 
such  as  these  that  she  endears  herself  to  the  nation. 

I  liave  heard  with  the  deepest  sorrow  and  regret  of 
the  melancholy  and  unfortunate  calamity  that  took 
place  since  I  began  to  write  these  Memoirs,  namely, 
the  burning  to  the  ground  of  the  most  magnificent  edi- 
fice of  a  sovereig-n  in  the  world.     But  the  fire  of  the 
Winter  Palace  has  been  only  another  opportunity  of 
making  known  the  beautiful  character  of  the  Emperor. 
Being  at  the  play  when  the  event  was  made  known  to 
him,  he  went  out  without  showing  the  least  anxiety 
or  alarm,  having  given  orders  that  the  Empress  should 
be  informed  of  it  on  her  leaving  the  theatre.    He  then 
went  to  the  Princess  Alexandrina  and  the  three  young 
Princes,  whom  he  caused  to  be  taken  to  the  Palace 
Amichkoff.     He  remained   during  the  whole  of  the 
night,  encouraging  and  directing  the  soldiers  and  the 
workmen    occupied   in  carrying  from  the  castle  the 
things  of  value.     Perfect  order  reigned  among  this 
innumerable  multitude  ;  there  were  no  cries,  no  con- 
fusion,—all  was  done    with  the  most  perfect   calm. 
The  Emperor  himself  repaired  to  the  most  dangerous 
places,  entreating  that  the  life  of  the  workmen  might 
not  be  exposed  in  attempting  to  save  any  precious 


CONDUCT    OF    THE    EMPEROR. 


149 


reliques  or  objects ;  and,  having  arrived  in  a  large 
room,  in  which  the  soldiers  were  endeavouring  to  re- 
move a  beautiful  and  enormous  glass,  he  first  called 
out  to  them  to  abandon  it,  because  the  ceiling  was 
already  on  fire,  and  as  his  voice  could  not  be  heard, 
he  threw  his  opera-glass  against  it,  broke  it  to  atoms, 
and  thus  gave  his  zealous  servants  to  understand  that 
his  intention  was  to  save  them  from  the  danger  which 
threatened  them,  and  that  he  wished  them  not  to  con- 
sider the  loss  or  value  of  what  could  not  be  preserved 
without  risk  of  human  life. 

The  enthusiasm  which  the  conduct  of  the  Emperor 
produced  was  such,  that  the  day  after  the  fire,  I  have 
learnt  that  a  great  number  of  persons  begged  as  a  favour 
that  they  might  be  allowed  to  contribute  to  the  rebuild- 
ing of  the  palace,  with  their  own  private  fortunes.  One 
person  offered  two  millions  of  roubles.  The  Emperor 
magnanimously  refused ;  but,  touched  with  the  devotion 
of  his  faithful  subjects,  he  showed  his  gratitude  by  an 
edict  which  he  issued.  The  hereditary  Grand  Duke, 
on  the  day  after  the  fire,  gave  five  hundred  roubles  to 
a  detachment  of  soldiers  of  the  regiment  of  grenadiers, 
and  affectionately  embraced  the  officers  who  were  at 
their  head,  who  had  worked  with  the  soldiers  with 
admirable  zeal  and  skill.  The  Emperor  gave  many 
rewards  and  pensions  for  good  conduct  during  the 
disastrous  affair. 

I  have  not  remarked  in  any  way  on  the  living  or 
eatables  you  meet  with  going  through  this  vast,  ex- 
tensive country,  because,  ti'avelling  as  we  did  with  our 
cook  and  canteens,  and  sending  him  forward  to  forage 


t>^ 


150 


PROVISIONS    ON    THC    ROAD. 


around  the  towns  as  he  went  along,  and  in  the  liotels 
on  his  arrival,  we  had  always  excellent,  clean,  and 
comfortable    repasts,   and  carried    with   us   our   own 
wine.     From  the  specimen,  however,  that  I  saw  of 
Russian  cookery,  the  little  attention  to  cleanliness,  and 
the  homely  meals  to  which  the  general  class  of  people 
are    habituated,    I   should  apprehend  that  strangers 
from  southern  climes  would  be  badly  off,  unless  they 
adopted  due   precautions.      I   must   also   admit  and 
lament  that  the  interior  and  domestic  apartments  in 
most  houses  in  Russia  swarm  with  fleas  and  vermin, 
and  it  is  extraordinary  that  so  little  attention  is  paid 
to  the  extirpation  of  these  annoying  inconveniences. 
As  to  provisions  on  the  road,  chickens  and  game  are 
abundant ;  the  latter,  however,  being  confined  chiefly 
to  gelinottes.     This  is  all  that  you  are  sure  of,  as  meat 
must  be  sent  for,  not  being  usually  on  the  landlord's 
bill   of  fare.      Flour    is    very   white,    and   bread   is 
generally  good ;  but  butter,  milk,  and  cream  are  in- 
different.    In  short,  Russia  is,   undoubtedly,  not  as 
yet  a  country  which  offers  delicacies  of  the  table,  ex- 
cept (as  stated  before)  in  the  capital,  where  money  can 
procure  everything. 


I.  KREMLISr. 

ct  STMickeaZ 

4.  ^? Spied 

S  JnfenaZ 

H.KrrAI  r.OKnil    chineskborough. 

1.  CoJJfMJlralfffS' Basil 
8.  &ran/i  SqruMare  wUh  Moywanents  cTMmru;yi 
i^Th/arski  .and  Zohtcm  -F'Uire 

/Q  Jiya  di-oh^9 

//  Church  o/'lheMi^ T^^iv of.^asttK 

/2  Ciucrch  otSaZf^aZioK 

inj31STRICT  called  TVERSKO^. 
/3.  Gra;^  rhea/:re 
/^  TeUr's  S^ricccre 

je.Kctose  cf  £xchtJi»iae 
/7.  AUtcoLrulev  Oa^d^n 

IV.DISTBICT  called  MAS ryriTZKOr. 

/S.  Medico  Cktnw^ical'Jccuiem/ 

/Q.H'stO/fice 

Zo.  SreUnsk  Mtma^ierv 

Zj.  Jmf€:ma^  Chuj^Jv 

V.DIsrRICr  called  PLATNTTZKOY 
VHDISTRICT  called  V^AHKEMANKA 

TTUDrSTRCT  called  PRETCHESTEJSKA 
Tm.DISrRICTcaHedARBATE 

IX^DISTRJCT  called  SRETENKA 

X.  DISTRICT  called  YAHOOZA, 

Zl.  ITte  Jdad  GaOe 

28  Fakrorka  BouryeuJcs 

Xr.DTSTRICT  called   BASMAN. 
XH.BISTRICT  called  RAGOJEKA 

2».jHdrcmi^f  ^-tnvvigTtt 

SC.  Ckurtik  ofc^Mcurdat  the.  CcnAs$or. 

XniDISTRICT called  TAGANKA 

i'/JCroa^^j  -Bocmccbf 

34.  Smvofvaf  QmygyU . 
XIV.  DLSTRICT  called  SERPOOKOFSKOY. 

dd  ITie  Oalci^n  ffbspiicd. 

.}& C(mye}tl  O'the  VirpK  ff/tJMPm. 

XV.DISTRICrcallcd  KHAMOWIEl 
X\l.  DIS  TRI  CTcalled  NOVINSKOY 

xvn.DiSTRicrcaned  tresnia. 

XlTin.DLSTRIC'l'  caUedSOOSHCHOFSKOy 


m  ©  S  G  ©  'ff 


0} 

Spiurrvnr  MU 


XIX.  DISTRICT  caRed  MFSHCHANSKOY 

Hf.   ArUUery  Jifc'ricskops 
iS.     f^pa^lci  Haurraclu 

/^.    SovokhajreT  Ttwer 


XK.IJISTKICT  rolled  PAKROFKA 

4^.  Imparud  Palace  of  hU^oMtk 


JQO.  DISTRICT  called  LEFORTOFSKOY. 
Grtufid  MZiZsofy  lfo,jfii(d 
CaZkenne  If  arracks 
JZ.    Slaiode  htwenal  Fodojce 
jj.    G-ard/sK  of  mt  It^eriod  faZcice 
Ji.   Corps  of  Cobd^iis  icdtftkburv  litpcls 


H 


A  J^iccJtes  ZUho^^  7f,  S^Mivizu  Zone ,  le/VijL/n^. 


MOSCOW. 


151 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Moscow— Seat  of  Government — Internal  Communication — Pecu- 
liarity of  Moscow — Imperial  Residences  — Political  State  of 
Russia — Russian  Aggrandisement — Russian  Policy — Marmont's 
H3'potliesis — The  Russian  Army — Russia  and  British  India — 
The  Emperor  Nicholas — Absurd  Calumnies — Opinions  of  the 
Abbe  du  Pradt. 


f 


I  AM  now  about  to  enter  upon  an  interesting  part  of 
this  Memoir,  in  the  description  of  Moscow,  and  the 
impression  that  it  produced  upon  my  mind. 

Having  seen  many  capitals  of  Europe, — Paris,  Ber- 
lin, Madrid,  Lisbon,  Bruxelles,  Vienna,  Prague,  Lon- 
don, Dublin,  Edinburgh,  &c.,  &c., — I  confess  the  coup 
d'ceil  of  Moscow  far  surpassed  them  all. 

This  city  is  the  original  and  national  capital  of  the 
Russian  empire.  Petersburgh  is  an  artificial  creation 
by  Peter  the  Great,  of  not  more  than  one  hundred  and 
forty  years*  existence,  and  cannot  be  put  in  competi- 
tion, as  to  interest,  with  that  spot  where  Europe  and 
Asia,  as  it  were,  meet,  and  where  the  material  riches 
and  power  of  the  Czar's  dominions  have  been  ever 
supposed  to  centralise.  When  you  contemplate  Mos- 
cow at  this  moment  as  a  city  reduced  to  ashes  in  1812 
by  the  French  armies,  and  that  in  the  short  space  of 


^/i 


\\ 


152 


MOSCOW. 


twenty-four  years  this  wonderful  capital  has  redoubled 
its  splendour,  beauty,  and  extent,  it  is  difficult  to  ima- 
gine how  means  can  have  been  brought  together  to 
accomplish  such  a  resurrection,  as  it  has  none  of  the 
available  resources  of  navigable  rivers,  canals,  quarries, 
or  forests,  at  hand  to  assist  in  such  a  work.  You 
arrive  at  Moscow  by  traversing  barren  and  deserted 
plains;  how  great,  therefore,  must  have  been  the 
toil,  labour,  expense,  and  power,  that,  under  all  these 
difficulties  of  position,  have  placed  in  more  than  its 
pristine  brilliancy  one  of  the  first  and  most  extraor- 
dinary places  in  the  world.  It  may  be  asked,  in  what 
is  the  appearance  of  this  city  so  extraordinary  ?  My 
answer  must  be,  — its  countless  towers,  its  embattled 
turrets,  its  variegated  cupolas,  its  blue  domes,  its 
gilded  spires,  and  lastly,  and  prominently,  the  unri- 
valled Kremlin  towering  above  all,  with  its  singular 
garden  around  the  base.  When  one  arrives  at  the 
summit  of  this  palace  of  the  Czars,  and  surveys,  as  in 
one  great  panorama,  the  whole  city,  and  the  entire 
country  around  and  beneath,  the  effect  is  quite  inde- 
scribable. The  first  thought  that  occurs  is,  how  is  it 
possible  that,  with  such  a  capital  in  existence,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  monarch  should  have  been  transplanted 
to  Petersburgh  ?  On  this  subject,  among  the  Rus- 
sians, there  are  various  opinions.  The  generality 
of  those  with  whom  I  conversed  in  Moscow,  were 
naturally  disposed  to  argue  the  impolicy  of  ever 
having  transplanted  the  seat  of  empire  to  Petersburgh. 
They  alleged  that  Peter  the  Great,  in  forming  basins, 
building  docks,  and  establishing  manufactories  upon 


SEAT    OF    GOVERNMENT. 


153 


the  marshy  lands  round  the  mouth  of  the  Neva,  only 
intended  it  as  a  depot  in  the  north  for  his  commerce, 
to  be  (as  it  were)  a  sort  of  Liverpool  to  Moscow.  They 
maintained,  also,  that  it  is  impossible  in  future  ages, 
from  the  extended  possessions  of  Russia  in  Asia,  that 
the  capital  should  not  revert  again  to  Moscow.     They 
argue  its  central  position,  its  more  wholesome  climate, 
its  proved  untenability  by  a  foreign  enemy,  whereas 
Petersburgh  is  not  only  more  dangerously  situated  in 
this  respect  from  its  maritime  position,  but  is  also 
subject  to  the  greatest  inconvenience  and  damage  from 
frequent  inundations  of  the  Neva,  to  which  the  town  is 
so  much  exposed.     All  these  circumstances,    in  tlie 
opinion  of  the  residents  of  Moscow,  make  it,  in  their 
view,  probable  that  the  seat  of  government  will  return 
thither.     On  the  other  hand,  the  settlers  and  proprie- 
tors of  Petersburgh  treat  such  a  notion  as  perfectly 
absurd.     The  commerce  of  Russia  would  never  have 
been    established    as    the    great    northern    focus    of 
riches,  had  not  Peter  the  Great  founded  the  capital 
on  the  Neva — a  design  which  has  been  so  w^isely  and 
so  happily  followed  up  by  Catherine,  Alexander,  and 
Nicholas. 

There  is  much  to  be  said  on  both  sides  of  the  ques- 
tion. The  salubrity  of  the  two  positions  can  bear  no 
comparison  ;  indeed,  so  hostile  are  the  banks  of  the 
Neva  to  vegetation,  that  trees  blown  down  discover 
by  their  roots  that  they  have  thriven  only  so  long  as 
the  fibres  remained  in  the  artificial  surface  in  which 
they  were  planted,  but,  perforating  that  soil,  they  ar- 
rive at  a  marshy,  cold  stratum,  which  affords  no  nou- 


154 


INTERNAL    COMMUNICATION. 


rishment,  and  is  clearly  prejudicial  to  their  growth. 
It  is  also  decidedly  uncongenial  to  the  health  of  those 
who,  from  early  infancy,  are  not  habituated  to  the 
climate. 

The  Russians  are,  no  doubt,  a  most  hardy  race, 
but  certainly  not  long-lived.  Few  people  are  seen, 
of  either  sex,  much  beyond  sixty  ;  they  are  subject 
(at  advanced  age  especially)  to  dropsical  complaints. 
This  fatal  disease  may  be  attributed  in  some  de- 
gree to  the  immoderate  use  of  strong  liquor  in  the 
lower  classes. 

The  very  extensive  acquisitions  of  Russia,  in  Turkey, 
Persia,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  Caucasus,  tend  to 
stretch  her  dominions  more  to  the  East,  and  the  cen- 
tralisation of  her  commerce  would  undoubtedly  be  of 
infinite  advantage.  Should  the  experiment  of  rail- 
ways succeed  in  this  country,  and  the  deep  snow  of 
long  winters  allow  of  this  rapid  mode  of  traffic,  there 
is  no  reason  why  a  railway  might  not  be  made  from 
Petersburgh  to  Moscow  ;  and  in  such  case,  by  getting 
rid  of  the  innumerable  train  of  carriages  that  swarm 
along  the  line,  and  reducing  the  carrying  trade  to  a 
far  cheaper  tariff,  it  is  difficult  to  pronounce  on  what 
changes  may  grow  out  of  such  an  altered  state  of  in- 
ternal communication. 

The  country  immediately  round  Moscow  is  more 
picturesque  than  any  part  of  the  six  hundred  and 
ninety-eight  wersts  through  which  you  travel  before 
you  arrive  there  from  St.  Petersburgh.  The  river 
Moskwa  winds  round  various  hills  covered  with 
wood,  traverses  the  city,  and  receives  the  auxiliary 


PECULIARITY    OF    MOSCOW. 


155 


streams  of  the  Toauza  and  Negliuna.  The  city  is 
built  on  very  unequal  ground,  which  gives  a  peculiar 
beauty,  from  the  different  views  it  presents.  Its 
atmosphere  is  always  clear,  and  the  streets,  palaces, 
gardens,  and  courts,  peculiarly  clean,  gay,  and  enli- 
vening. With  the  exception  of  Constantinople,  it 
stands  on  more  ground  than  any  other  capital  in  exist- 
ence. Of  its  foundation  and  origin  Russian  history 
gives  many  details,  into  which  it  is  not  my  intention 
to  enter  otherwise  than  slightly.  Ivan  was  the  first 
sovereign  who  surrounded  Moscow  with  a  wall :  this 
was  of  oak.  He  also  built  the  Kremlin,  and  founded 
the  great  church  of  the  Archangel  Michael.  In  1336 
Moscow  was  nearly  destroyed  by  the  plague,  which 
was  succeeded  by  an  immense  conflagration,  and  the 
city  has  gone  through  more  revolutions  and  changes 
since  its  foundation  than  perhaps  any  other  of  note. 
Its  aspect  gives  ocular  proof  of  Its  many  metamor- 
phoses, and  is  certainly  curious.  The  buildings  be- 
long to  no  kind  of  regular  architecture,  and  the  pe- 
culiarity of  their  construction  is  nowhere  else  to  be 
met  with. 

Moscow  is  partly  fortified  by  a  high  wall  and  ditch 
round  the  Kremlin,  which  is  furnished  with  a 
commanding  artillery,  and  has  always  a  very 
large  garrison.  The  wall  may  be  a  mile  and  a 
half  of  the  space  round  the  Kremlin,  and  is  orna- 
mented and  strengthened  with  numerous  towers. 
The  most  splendid  and  gorgeous  of  these  is  the  tow^er 
of  Ivan  Veliki.  The  rich  gilding  of  the  cupola,  and 
the  cross  at  its  summit,   wliich  appears  of  solid  gold, 


156 


IMPERIAL    RESIDENCES. 


is  distinguished  from  the  wliole  country  around,  and 
its  dazzling  lustre,  in  the  beams  of  the  sun,  produces 
a  singular  effect.  The  cathedrals  of  the  Archangel 
Michael  and  the  Assumption,  the  palaces  of  the 
Emperor,  that  of  the  Patriarch,  and  the  Convent  of 
Miracles,  are  the  edifices  that  strike  you  at  first  as 
the  most  remarkable. 

The  gates  into  the  town  are  numerous  ;  the  prin- 
cipal one  is  that  of  St.  Sauveur.  Moscow  is  further 
embellished  with  a  university  and  colleges,  a  cele- 
brated foundling  hospital,  and  many  other  magnifi- 
cent establishments,  whicli  I  shall  hereafter  attempt 
to  describe. 

The  Imperial  residences  are,  as  at  St.  Petersburgh, 
numerous ;   and,  in  addition  to  the  Kremlin,  comi)rise 
other  beautiful  palaces.     At  Petersburgh,  as  I  have 
already  stated,   there   is  really  no  end  to  them ;  Le 
Palais  d'Hivei-,  rHermitage,  la   Palais  Anishkoft;  the 
Marble    Palace,    &c.      I    doubt    the    expediency   of 
any   government  keeping  up,   in  so  many  different 
places,  such  a  plurality  of  Imperial  residences.     The 
expense    must    be    great,    without  the  comparative 
enjoyment ;   but   every  Emperor  seems  to  prefer  his 
own  creation,    rather   than   the  taste  and   fancies  of 
his  predecessors.     It   is  not,  however,  merely  ques- 
tions of  a  change  in  Imperial   residences   that   now 
agitate  and  engross  Russian  theorists ;  there  is  much 
difference  of  opinion  amongst  them  as  to  the  advan- 
tage  of   greater    aggrandisement,    or   the  policy   of 
rendering  formidable,  by  wise  and   salutary  interior 
regulations,    the    immense    territories    that    are    aU 


POLITICAL    STATE    OF    RUSSIA. 


157 


ready  incorporated  under  the  dominion  of  the 
Czar. 

It  may  not  be  superfluous  to  consider  very  shortly 
the  general  political  situation  of  Russia,  more  espe- 
cially as  two  able  and  clever  pamphlets  have  just 
made  their  appearance  in  England,  which,  no  doubt, 
have  been  much  read  ;  and  as  these  publications  em- 
brace opinions  on  the  same  questions  wide  as  the 
poles  asunder,  I  tliink  it  not  presumptuous,  in  some 
degree,  to  differ  from  both,  and  to  consider  the  writers 
as  having  taken  exaggerated  views  of  a  very  extensive 
question. 

The  author  of  the  "  Manchester  Manufacturer'' 
would  lead  his  readers  to  imagine,  in  the  outset,  that 
he  was  entirely  impartial  in  his  sentiments  and  opinions, 
and  was  not  biassed  by  any  friendship  of  Russia  ;  where- 
as I  consider  it  hardly  possible  for  any  one  to  read  his 
pages  without  regarding  him  as  a  most  decided  par- 
tisan of  the  northern  empire  and  its  interests.  I  admit 
the  existence  of  great  ingenuity  and  talent,  and  some 
force  of  reasoning,  in  many  of  the  points  that  are  brought 
forward  ;  but  when  the  author  tells  you  that  Constanti- 
nople would  not  add  to  the  power  or  resources  of  Russia  ; 
when  he  supposes  that  in  an  age  like  this  the  nations 
of  the  world  could  live  in  harmony  together,  plying  the 
industrious  loom,  and  having  no  emulation  beyond  the 
possession  of  the  cheapest  commodities  in  the  commer- 
cial markets  of  the  world  ;  and  when  he  finally  enters 
into  a  special  pleading  with  high  authorities,  such  as 
the  famous  Vienna  writer,  Genz,  and  others,  and  argues 


158 


RUSSIAN    AGGRANDISEMENT. 


RUSSIAN    POLICY. 


159 


■) 


SO  strangely  on  the  balance  of  power,  I  do  confess  it 
lessens  my  opinion  of  the  judgment  and  wisdom  of 
the  writer  of  this  treatise. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  be  a  logician  to  define  what 
is  meant  by  the  balance  of  power,  applied,  as  that 
expression  has  been,  to  the  great  nations  of  the  world  ; 
and  I  presume  there  is  no  statesman  who  would  admit 
that  he  does  not  comprehend  its  meaning. 

The  second  pamphlet  I  now  allude  to,  is  "  Russia 
and  her  Acquisitions  in  1836."     The  author  here  dis- 
plays a  gigantic  map,  and  marks,  accurately  enough, 
the  encroachments  of  the  Czars,  by  conquests,  treaties, 
or  treachery,  since  the  time  of  Peter  the  Great,  and 
founds   upon    this    exhibited    surface    of   continued 
ambition,  the  certain  argument  that  the  same  course 
must  still  be   pursued,    in  defiance   of  any  changes 
that    time    and    experience     may    produce    in    the 
sentiments    of    the    Russians,    or   of  the   guarantee 
afforded  by  the  personal  character  for  wisdom    and 
prudence  of  the   existing  sovereign.      I   disagree  as 
much  in  the  inference  drawn  by  this  latter  writer, 
as  I  do  in  the  theories  of  the  former.     The  very  cir- 
cumstance of  the  great  accessions  of  territory  produces, 
at  present,  an  undigested  interior,  composed  of  very 
diflicult  materials  to  organise  in  unity  of  action.     To 
make  this  mass  more  unmanageable  by  unnecessary 
increase,  while  its  component  parts  create,  even  now, 
disquietude,  and  demand  all  the  energies  of  the  go- 
vernment, is  not  the  part  of  a  great  and  wise  sove- 
reign ;  and  it  is  but  fair  and  just,  on  passing  a  positive 


opinion  as  to  what  the  measures  of  Russia  will  be,  to 
examine  the  recent  acts  of  the  chief  whom  Providence 
has  placed  at  the  head  of  this  colossal  empire. 

It  would  be  bold  to  predict  what  the  position  of 
Russia   may    be    some   hundred   years   hence.     Un- 
doubtedly the  rapid  progress  she  has  made  in  civi- 
lisation and  improvement  since  the  war  with  France, 
and  since  her  legions  were  transported  from  the  banks 
of  the  Volga,  the  Don,  and  the  Vistula,  to  those   of 
the   Seine,   surpasses   belief.      Since    1815,  she  has 
advanced  in  these  respects  at  least  a  century.     The 
practical  observation  which  her  masses  of  men  made 
on  the  cultivated  states  and  territories  through  which 
they  passed ;  the  taste  which  was  thus  imbibed  for 
southern    luxuries  ;  the    indefatigable  exertions   and 
efforts  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  to  obtain  every  pos- 
sible advantage  for  his  rising  empire,-all  conspired, 
with   the  great  genius,    industry,  and  talent  of  the 
people,    to    improve    Russia  in    a    singular    degree. 
The  golden  opportunity  of  the  long  peace  since  1815 
has  not  been  thrown  away  in  the  hands  of  Alexander 
and  Nicholas.     Indeed,  it  is  wonderful  to  witness  how 
greatly  the  latter  has  availed  himself  of  all  the  foun- 
dations prepared  by  the  former ;  and  I  feel  assured 
that  those  who  descant  largely  in  the  British  parlia- 
ment,  on   the  situation  of  Russia,  would  do  well  to 
examine  the  country  in  the  details,  before  they  ven- 
ture on  statements  which  their  ocular   observations 
would  disprove.     Russia,  in  my  opinion,  is  directing 
her   mighty  means  to  bring  to  perfection  all  parts 
of  that  empire  which  acknowledge  her  sway,   before 


If' 


\S 


160 


RUSSIAN    POLICY. 


MARMONT  S    HYPOTIIKSIS. 


161 


M 


\ 

^ 


she  attempts  to  grapple  with  more  extent  of  domi- 
nion. Whether  she  can  manage  and  govern  well 
what  she  possesses,  is  a  primary  question  ;  to  seize 
upon  more  before  tliis  is  ascertained  would  greatly 
endanger  what  exists. 

As  a  mere  opinion,  I  should  assert  that  Russia  will 
have  no  objects  of  aggrandisement  for  the  next  fifty 
years  that  would  not  be  hostile  to  the  feelings 
and  opinions  of  the  Emperor,  unwise  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  nobles,  and  prejudicial  to  the  nation 
itself. 

While  the  writer  of  "  Russia  in  1836  "  was  talkino- 
of  new  kingdoms  and  of  the  seizure  of  places,  the  Em- 
peror Nicholas  was  voluntarily  restoring  to  the  Sultan 
Silistria,  one  of  the  keys  of  Turkey.  No  greater  proof 
can  surely  be  adduced,  that  the  object  of  Russia  is  not 
the  conquest  of  Turkey,  nor  the  march  to  Constanti- 
nople. The  Emperor  full  well  knows,  that  to  subdue 
the  religious  prejudices  of  such  a  nation  as  that  of 
Turkey,  and  to  run  the  risk  of  a  war  with  the  powers  of 
Europe  in  the  effort,  is  what  he  is  incapable  of  attempt- 
ing without  absolute  necessity.  Even  at  Adrianople, 
as  in  other  places  equally  distant  from  their  resources, 
and  where  they  could  not  be  provided  beforehand,  the 
Russian  masses  were  broken  down  by  disease,  misery, 
and  want ;  and  the  longer  their  line  is  extended,  the 
easier  prey  does  it  become  to  predatory  warfare  in  a 
hostile  country.  In  addition,  can  it  be  supposed  that 
the  nobles  of  St.  Petersburgh  or  Moscow  would  like 
to  see  their  penates  transferred  to  the  shores  of  the 
Bosphorus,  and  would  an  Emperor  of  Russia  abandon 


i 

1 


his  Petersburgh  and  live  in  a  Turkish  capital  ?  There 
is  a  very  great  disinclination  amongst  all  the  Russians  I 
have  conversed  with,  to  the  conquest  of  other  domi- 
nions, and  many  are  found  who  consider  that  civilisa- 
tion is  advancing  too  rapidly  for  the  real  happiness 
and  prosperity  of  the  nation. 

In  giving  these  sentiments,  I   know  I  differ  from 
much  higher  authorities  ;   amongst  the  rest  Marshal 
Marmont,  who  in  his  tour  in  Hungary,  Transylvania, 
Southern  Russia,  Turkey,    &c.,   has    broadly  laid  it 
down,  not  only  that  the  Russians  with  the  greatest 
ease  can  take  possession  of  Constantinople,  but  he  also 
offers  to  prove,  that  the  occupation  once  effected,  the 
most  intimate  alliance  of  France,  England,  and  Aus- 
tria, could  not  force  the  Russians  to  evacuate  it.     The 
Marshal  then  enters  upon  the  long  military  hypothesis 
on  which  his  reasoning  is  based.    Far  be  it  from  me  to 
follow  this,  probably,  well-digested  professional  trea- 
tise ;  but  my  simple  question  is,  how  is  Russia  now, 
or  at  any  future  time  within  the  next  century,  to  sup- 
ply the  means  and  the  sinews  of  war  for  such   an 
undertaking  ?  What  would  be   easy  and  light  to  the 
financial  means  of  such  a  triple  alliance  against  her, 
would  be    impracticable  for  Russia  alone ;  and  both 
the  nation  and  its  chief,  I  believe,  are  fully  aware  of  this 
impossibility.      The  Marshal,    however,  sums  up  his 
reasoning  by  two  considerations,  which  he  admits  have 
their  value  against  the  opinions  he  delivers.     First,  he 
says,  that  all  the  advantages  he  points  out  in  favour  of 
the  Russians  belong  to  the  first  occupant;    that  is  to 
say,  if  our  combined   fleet  passed  the  Dardanelles  and 

M 


/i 


\  I  ^ 


162 


THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY. 


THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY. 


163 


arrived  first  at  Constantinople,  and  if  with  nn  army 
we  could  then  occupy  Adrianople  with  a  fortified 
camp,  the  Russians  would  have  immense  difficulties 
to  overcome.  The  probability  is,  however,  we  should 
pass  the  Dardanelles  before  any  fleet  of  Russia  could 
be  in  force  there ;  and,  without  any  debarkation  of 
land  troops  for  a  fortified  camp  at  Adrianople,  I  think 
the  Russians  would  hardly  take  possession  of  Con- 
stantinople in  presence  of  the  combined  fleets  of 
France  and  England. 

Secondly,  the  Marshal  considers  that  Prussia  wouhl 
probably  be  inclined  to  adopt  the  Russian  side  of  tlie 
question;  but  if  she  did  not,  he  conceives  this  might 
make  a  great  difference  in  the  forces  Prussia  miglit 
bring  into  the  field;  and  the  manner  she  might  aid 
the  military  operations. 

For  both  these  reasons,  I  am  of  opinion  that 
the  deductions  the  Marshal  has  made  are  adverse 
to  the  interests  and  powers  of  a  resisting  triple 
alliance. 

I  know  not  positively  if  the  account  given  by  Mar- 
shal Marmont  of  the  Russian  army  be  correct.  It  is 
very  difficult  to  get  at  exact  information,  as  upon  this 
head  the  greatest  secrecy  prevails.  But  Marmont 
states  the  force  as  follows  ;  the  impetial  guard  are  six 
divisions,  three  of  infantry  and  three  of  cavalry, 
making  sixteen  battalions  in  all;  four  regiments  of 
horse  artillery,  and  twelve  of  foot  artillery.  The  gre- 
nadier corps  has  three  divisions  of  infantry,  made  up 
of  twelve  regiments,  and  a  division  of  light  cavalry 
made    up   of  four  regiments;    also  two   batteries   of 


liorse  artillery,  and  fifteen  of  foot.  The  regiments  of 
guards  consist  of  three  battalions  of  infantry  and  seven 
squadrons  of  cavalry.  The  six  corps  of  the  line  are 
composed,  each,  of  a  division  of  light  cavalry,  (made 
up  of  four  regiments,)  three  divisions  of  infantry, 
each  of  four  regiments ;  in  all  twelve  regiments,  be- 
sides two  battalions  of  foot  and  two  of  horse  artillery. 
The  total  six  corps  of  the  line  are  seventy-two  regi- 
ments of  infantry  and  twenty-four  of  cavalry,  twelve 
batteries  of  horse  and  ninety  of  foot  artillery. 

The  corps  of  cavalry  reserve  has  two  divisions,  each 
four  regiments,  making  a  total  of  twenty-four  regi- 
ments and  twelve  batteries  of  artillery.  The  reserve 
of  the  line  are  three  divisions,  composed  of  twenty- 
four  battalions.  There  is,  in  addition,  the  corps  of 
the  Caucasus,  Siberia,  and  Finland,  the  troops  of  the 
interior,  fifty  battalions  of  horse  militia,  and  one 
hundred  and  forty-six  regiments  of  Cossacks.  This 
formidable  and  immense  army  is  sufficient,  without 
going  into  further  details. 

Treating,  therefore,  as  I  do,  the  ideas  of  further 
conquests  at  present,  and  the  notion  of  a  march  to 
Constantinople  by  Russia,  as  perfectly  chimerical,  I 
am  disposed  to  argue,  a  fortiori^  that  any  designs 
upon  our  Indian  possessions  are  a  mere  dream  ;  at  the 
same  time  I  admit  the  good  policy  of  Great  Britain  in 
cementing  in  every  possible  manner  friendships  and 
alliances  with  Turkey  and  Persia.  Both  must  be 
either  entirely  subdued  or  under  the  dictation  of 
Russia,  before  the  safety  of  India  could  be  endangered. 
Is  this  a  result  likely  to  occur  within  the  range  of  time 

m2 


164 


RUSSIA    AND    BRITISH    INDIA. 


in  whicli  the  calculation  of  future  events  is  reasonably 
possible  ? 

So  entirely  absurd  is  the  idea  of  Russia  threatening 
our  Indian  possessions,  that  even  Mr.  Attwood,  in  a  late 
speech  in  Parliament,  says,  "  That  he  was  one  of  those 
who  considered  that  British  India,  with  a  population  of 
twenty-seven  thousand  Europeans  and  one  hundred 
million  of  natives,  was  in  a  better  situation  to  threaten 
St.  Petersburgh,  than  St.  Petersburgh  was  to  threaten 
Calcutta."  He  adds,  however,  that  Russia  could  do 
much,  by  having  Turkey  and  Persia  added  to  her 
own  dominions ;  but,  with  great  respect  to  Mr.  Att- 
wood, this  accomplishment  seems  to  me  quite  as 
difficult  and  impossible  as  the  other.  Much  is 
argued  by  the  writer  of  "  Russia  in  1836,"  of  the 
treachery  by  which  Russia  extends  her  protection  to 
other  nations,  and  then  takes  advantage  of  the  situa- 
tion and  the  weakness  of  such  states  to  establish  per- 
manently her  own  dominion.  The  kingdoms  of  Persia 
and  Turkey,  however,  are  not  to  be  seized  by  trea- 
cherous coups  de  main ;  and  I  doubt  not  whether  the 
authors  of  the  pamphlets  to  which  I  have  referred,  had 
they  visited  and  spent  some  time  in  Russia,  would  not 
have  divested  their  minds  of  much  of  the  exaaffera- 
tion  they  have  put  fortli. 

In  connexion  with  the  revenues  and  finance  of 
Russia,  much  might  be  added  to  prove  how  very 
unlikely  the  present  Emperor  is  to  embark  in  new 
and  expensive  wars  ;  but  I  will  not  here  enter  into 
matters  which  require  greater  developement  and 
knowledge  than  I  have  power  to  embrace  in  these  pages. 


THE    EMPEROR    NICHOLAS. 


165 


Lastly,  the  ))ersonal  character  of  the  monarch  should 
be  in  a  irrcat  decree  considered.  In  drawino-  inferences 
of  the  probable  conduct  of  this  nation,  nothing  can 
be  so  unjust  as  the  idea,  prevalent  in  England,  of  the 
Emperor  Nicholas's  tyranny,  cruelty,  and  ambition. 
So  far  is  he  the  reverse  of  these  characteristics,  that  I  do 
not  believe  there  exists  a  monarch  more  adored  by  his 
subjects ;  and  having  mixed  as  a  stranger  with  all 
classes  in  Russia,  I  think  I  can  form  as  good  an 
opinion  on  this  subject  as  most  of  my  countrymen. 
The  Emperor,  with  justice,  in  his  high  position,  pu- 
nishes delinquencies  in  all  ranks  alike ;  his  system 
may  require  a  rigid  obedience  and  submission,  but, 
instead  of  acts  of  tyranny  or  injustice,  I  have  heard  of 
notliing  but  his  clemency  and  generosity. 

I  find  my  personal  sentiments  of  the  qualities  of  the 
Emperor  of  Russia,  as  well  as  many  of  my  opinions, 
corroborated  by  a  work  that  has  fallen  into  my 
hands  by  a  Prussian  counsellor  of  legation,  in  his 
account  of  St.  Petersburgh  in  1833  and  1834,  and 
ably  translated  by  Mr.  J.  D .  The  adver- 
tisement of  this  work  states  as  follows: — ^'The  per- 
sonal notices  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  and  his  family 
are  extremely  interesting,  and  well  calculated  to  en- 
gross attention  ;  the  more  so,  as  they  are  exposed 
to  prejudices  common  throughout  Western  Europe. 
We  have  no  wish  to  enter  upon  internal  discussion, 
but  it  is  gratifying  to  know,  from  such  an  authentic 
source,  that  the  Russian  autocrat  is  as  distinguished 
for  those  domestic  and  social  virtues  which  present  a 
pleasing  contrast  to  the  description  hitherto  circulated 


n 


166 


THE    CHOLERA    AT    ST.    PETEllSBURGH. 


in  connexion  with  the  policy  of  his  cabinet."  The 
religious  impressions  of  the  Emperor  are  strongly 
dwelt  on  by  this  author ;  and  he  states  his  conduct, 
during  the  prevalence  of  the  cholera,  to  have  been 
most  heroical,  evincing  an  entire  contempt  of  every 
danger,  though  he  visited  all  parts  of  the  capital  the 
most  affected.  His  constant  abandonment  of  his  per- 
son to  popular  assemblage,  (especially  at  the  great 
fetes  of  Peterhoff,  the  Palais  d'Hiver,)  shows  the 
confidence  he  has  in  his  subjects,  and  his  inditfereyce 
to  personal  risk  or  danger. 

On  the  17th  of  June  the  cholera  was  making  great 
ravages  at  St.  Petersburgh,  and,  as  in  other  places,  tliis 
great  city  was  infested  by  this  plague.  The  people, 
believing  that  the  malady  was  the  result  of  poison, 
opposed  all  measures  calculated  to  prevent  or  cure  it. 
The  burial  of  those  dying  of  the  cholera,  in  a  parti- 
cular churchyard  above  all,  enraged  the  mob.  On 
the  Place  de  la  Halle  Aufoin  there  was  a  magnificent 
hospital ;  the  people  broke  into  it,  committed  the  most 
terrible  injuries ;  and  seeing  some  dead  bodies  whicli 
were  going  to  be  buried  in  the  churchyard,  they  took 
them  out  of  the  coffin,  insisting  that  they  were  beino- 
buried  alive.  The  crowd  increased,  and  made  great 
devastation.  This  last  class  of  the  people  is  every- 
where the  same;  but  that  which  was  not  so— that 
which  was  sublime,  great,  and  singular— was  to  see  the 
Emperor  appear  in  the  centre  of  the  contagion,  among 
an  enraged  populace,  in  the  heat  of  a  suffocating  day, 
like  a  father  in  the  midst  of  his  rebelHous  children. 
At  the  sight  of  their  sovereign,  the  handsomest  man  in 


THE  EMPEROR  S  REBUKE. 


167 


Europe,  the  people  stopped ;  a  respectful  silence  suc- 
ceeded their  deafening  cries ;  the  police  officers  had 
now  nothing  to  do ;  the  rebels  were  silent,  and  all 
eyes  were  fixed  on  the  majestic  figure  and  the  then 
severe  aspect  of  the  monarch.  "  What  are  you  doing, 
impious  and  criminal  men  ?"  said  he,  with  a  voice 
like  thunder ;  "  you  dare  to  oppose  the  orders  of  your 
superiors,  the  care  of  your  physicians,  and  the  pater- 
nal solicitude  of  your  sovereign  ?  Kneel,  rebels,  and 
beg  God's  forgiveness  ;  make  yourselves  worthy  of  the 
clemency  with  which  I  will  act  if  your  repentance  is 
sincere."  On  hearing  these  words,  the  numberless 
multitude  prostrated  themselves,  and  nothing  but  sobs 
and  sighs  were  heard.  The  clergy  of  the  adjacent 
church,  St.  Sauveur,  arrived,  and  chanted  the  Te 
Deum ;  and  as  soon  as  it  was  finished,  the  air  re- 
sounded with  the  acclamations  of  "  Long  live  our 
father,  the  Emperor  !"  The  people  surrounded  him, 
kissed  his  clothes,  his  horse,  and  escorted  him  to  the 

palace. 

During  the  Emperor's  residence  at  Moscow  in  No- 
vember, 1837,  his  horses  would  not  proceed  in  an  ex- 
cursion that  he  was  making ;  his  Majesty  descended 
from  the  carriage,  and  walked  a  little  way.  A  gene- 
ral, who  followed  in  a  chariot,  offered  it  to  the  Em- 
peror, who,  however,  refused  it,  and  took  a  wretched 
hired  carriage,  which  was  so  low  that  his  feet  touched 
the  ground ;  the  coachman  would  not  at  first  put  on 
his  hat,  but  the  Emperor  insisted  upon  it,  and,  driv- 
ing to  the  palace,  ordered  two  hundred  roubles  to  be 
paid  to  the  hapi)y  peasant.     His  good  fortune  did  not 


168 


CHOLERA    AT    MOSCOW. 


end  here ;  those  who  had  seen  the  Emperor  speak  to 
him  on  the  road  surrounded  him  in  the  palace,  and 
made  him  repeat  all  that  the  monarch  had  said  to 
him ;  the  horse  and  carriage  were  bought  at  so  high 
a  price,  that  the  peasant  and  his  family  became 
greatly  enriched.  These  two  anecdotes  have  been 
related  to  us  by  eye-witnesses  of  them. 

When  news  arrived  that  the  cholera  was  at  Moscow, 
the  Emperor  started  immediately  for  that  city,  visited 
all  the  hospitals,  approached  the  sick,  encouraged 
them,  and  promised  them  and  their  families  assist- 
ance and  protection.  It  was  then  believed  that  t\w 
cholera  was  spreading,  but,  nevertheless,  the  Em- 
peror  betrayed  not  the  least  fear.  He  made  tlie 
wisest  regulations,  bought  all  the  fruit  in  the  market, 
and  ordered  it  to  be  thrown  into  the  river.  His 
presence  and  his  example  contributed  greatly  to  the 
return  of  tranquillity,  and  restored,  sooner  than  had 
been  expected,  the  health  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city  and  its  environs. 

With  these  sentiments,  which  I  am  convinced 
will  be  adopted  by  those  who  may  visit  Russia,  and 
really  investigate  the  conduct  and  character  of  this 
monarch,  the  absurdity  of  the  calumnies  which  are 
disseminated  in  English  newspapers  as  to  the  Em- 
peror Nicholas  must  be  apparent.  Even  the  Stan- 
dard, with  its  deservedly  high  character,  does  not 
scruple  to  insert  such  paragraphs  as  the  following  :— 
"  The  Russian  Czar  has  issued  a  ukase  prohibiting  the 
use  of  spectacles  to  all  persons  under  the  age  of  forty 
years.      Whether  this  is  a  long-sighted  or  a  short- 


ABSURD    CALUMNIES. 


169 


sighted  policy,  the  reader  must  determine  for  himself; 
but  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  the  dignity  or  com- 
prehensiveness of  the  views.  Of  the  other  measure  we 
cannot  speak  in  the  language  of  ridicule.    It  is  said  that 

this ,  what  shall  we  call  him  ? — has   actually  let 

loose  his  soldiers  to  seize  upon  the  peasant  girls  of  Vol- 
hynia  to  bring  them  to  his  camp.  No  less  than  six  hun- 
dred are  called  for  in  a  single  requisition.  The  poor 
creatures  have  fled  to  the  forests,  and  have  been  tracked 
like  wild  beasts ;  their  fathers  and  brothers,  who  natu- 
rally attempted  resistance,  have  been  put  to  death  ;  in 
others,  cruelly  punished.  This  has  occurred  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  in  civilised  Europe,  and  under 
what  is  called  lawful  authority  ! " 

"  The  Czar  arrived  at  Moscow  on  the  8th  of  the 
present  month.  A  serious  accident  had  like  to  have 
occurred  to  him  as  he  descended  Mount  Caucasus. 
The  axletree  of  tlie  vehicle  in  which  he  was,  broke  as 
he  was  crossing  a  bridge,  and  the  passengers  were,  in 
consequence,  flung  violently  forward.  The  Emperor 
sustained  no  personal  injury,  but  his  mind,  which  had 
betrayed  symptoms  ofwildness  before,  is  said  to  have  felt 
the  effects  of  the  shock.  The  remainder  of  his  voyage 
to  Moscow  has  rarely  been  equalled  in  point  of  celerity. 
He  travelled  one  hundred  and  four  leagues  in  twenty-six 
hours.  He  intends  to  return  to  St.  Petersburgh  about 
the  middle  of  December." 

Standardy  JVovember  30th, — ''  Russia  hates  liberty, 
and  the  better  regulated  and  the  more  secure  the 
liberty  of  any  nation,  the  more  it  is  hated  by  Russia. 
Again,  Russia  hates  England,  not  only  as  the  fortress 


170 


ABSUIID    CALUMNIES. 


'.  I 

m 


of  well-regulated  liberty  througliout  the  world,  but  as 
the  mistress  of  the  seas^  and  as  the  great,  and,    we 
trust,  invincible  obstacle  to  the  schemes  of  Oriental 
ambition,  long  and  unceasingly  nursed  by  the  court  of 
St.  Petersburgh,     But  we  know  that  our  countrymen 
look  rather  to  the  justice  of  a  cause,  than  to  the  effect 
of  its  decision  upon  their  ow^n  interests.     We  would 
therefore  entreat  them  to  consider  that  the  late  Polish 
insurrection  was  jiist,—wds  a  movement  as  essentially 
conservative  as  our  own  revolution  of  1688.    It  was  an 
assertion  of  rights  guaranteed  to  the  Polish  nation  by 
the  treaty  of  Vienna  in  1815.     Every  promise  made 
by  Russia  to  the  Poles  under  that  treaty  had  been  left 
unfulfilled  ;    every  engagement  entered  into  had  been 
violated.     Nay,  the  constitution  given  by  Alexander, 
as  if  in  mockery,  was  outraged  in  every  particular. 
The  thirty-first  article  gave  a  national  representation, 
a  senate,  a  house  of  Lords,  indefinite  in  number,  and 
a  representative  assembly,  or  house  of  commons,  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  persons.    The  kingdom 
was,   by  the  forty-fifth  article,  to  be  separated  from 
Russia,  in  its  administration,  for  ever,  and  the  king 
was  bound  to  be  crowned  in   Poland,  and  to  take  the 
oath  following:— 'I  swear  and  promise,  before  God 
and  his  gospel,  to  maintain  and  support  the  constitu- 
tional charter  with  all  my  power.' 

"  Let  it  be  remembered  that  Poland  was  not  a 
country  conquered  by  Russia ;  but  if  conquered  at  all, 
conquered  by  the  whole  Eui'opean  alliance,  which 
guaranteed  its  legislative  and  administrative  indepen- 
dence by  the  treaty  of  Vienna.  Nor  are  we  to  overlook 


A13SURD    CALUMNIES. 


171 


> 


the  fact,  that  national  independence  and  liberty  were 
not  new  to  Poland.  The  kingdom  presented  the 
oldest  mixed  monarchy  in  the  world,  if  we  may  not 
rather  call  it  the  oldest  aristocratical  commonwealth. 
The  origin  of  Polish  liberty  is  lost  sight  of  in  the  most 
obscure  antiquity.  All  we  know  of  it  is,  that,  in  the 
days  of  Roman  greatness,  Sarmatia  was  ruled  by  a 
society  of  patriarchal  chiefs,  who,  to  the  misfortune  of 
their  posterity,  succeeded  in  defying  the  Roman  power, 
and  subsequently  in  repelling  the  feudal  system.  It 
was,  and  continued  until  the  last  half  century,  an  ori- 
ental society  of  the  oldest  time,  constructed  from  men 
possessing  European  hardihood,  European  knowledge, 
and  the  religion  of  Europe. 

"  Surrounded  by  governments  possessing  all  the 
energy  of  despotism,  and  inflamed  with  all  the  jea- 
lousy which  despots  feel,  this  primitive  and  more  than 
free  people  could  not  long  maintain  its  independence. 
What  could  its  equestrian  diet  of  one  thousand  legis- 
lators, subject  to  be  paralysed  at  any  moment  of  its 
proceedings  by  the  libcrcem  veto  of  any  single  member, 
effect  against  the  concentrated  power  of  Austria,  Rus- 
sia, or  Prussia  ?  What  could  an  elective  king,  the  very 
humble  oflScer  of  his  diet,  do  for  the  defence  of  his 
country  ?  No  rational  man  can  regret  the  abolition  of 
the  primitive  constitution,  if  it  is  to  be  called  consti- 
tution, of  Poland  ;  but  every  friend  of  liberty,  every  one 
who  values  the  security  of  individual  rights  and  of  na- 
tional independence,  must  contemplate  with  indigna- 
tion and  resentment  the  insolent  and  tyrannical  abo- 
lition of  the  constitution  guaranteed  in  1815,  and  the 


172 


ABSURD    CALUJMNltS. 


'i  I 


erasure  of  tlie  name  of  Poland  from  the  list  of  nations. 
The   constitution   promised   in    1815   could    not    be 
abused,  for  it  was  never  given,  probably  never  intended 
to  be  given.     The  Poles  had  not  forfeited  their  right 
to  it  by  any  single  act  of  contumacy.    For  fifteen  long 
years  they  suffered  the  '  deferred  hope  that  maketh  the 
heart  sick,'  and  it  was  not  until  the  accumulation  of 
individual  cruelties  and  insults,  inflicted  by  the  savage 
Constantine,  had  become  perfectly   intolerable,    that 
they  demanded  from  Russia  the  performance  of  that 
promise  which  Russia  and  all  the  powers  of  Euro])e 
had  made  to  the  Poles  at  Vienna.     If  this  was  not  a 
righteous  insurrection,   let  us  no  longer  exult  in  our 
fathers  of  1688.     The  cruelties  perpetrated  by  Con- 
stantine are  notorious  and  undisputed  ;  but  it  would 
be  to  veil  half  their  wickedness,  should  we  conceal 
that  they  were  advisedly  perpetrated,  in  order  to  effect 
that  very  purpose  which  they  did  effect,  to  urge  the 
Poles  to  civil  war,  at  the  time  when  the  embroiled 
state  of  Europe,  thrown  into  confusion  by  no  small 
degree  of  Russian  arts,  must  leave  the  unhappy  insur- 
gents at   the  mercy  of  their  tyrant.     Poland,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  that  constitution  which  was  promised, 
would  add   infinitely  to  the  wealth  of  Russia,  would 
raise  an  impassable   barrier  to  her  western  frontier, 
would  bring  the  family  of  the  Czar  completely  into 
the  European  alliance  as  a  native,  not  as  a  denizen. 
But  a  constitutional  government  in  Poland  would  pre- 
sent to  Russia  that  libertas  in  coiispectu,  would  teach 
the   native   subjects   of  the  Autocrat   also  to   desire 


ABSURD    CALUMNIES. 


173 


liberty  ;    for  this  reason,    and  this  reason  only,  has 
Poland  been  sacrificed. 

"  We  have  thought  it  right  to  present  this  sketch 
of  the  circumstances  of  the  late  revolution,  in  order  to 
satisfy  our  conservative  friends  that  the  Poles  are  not 
rebels  or  radicals,  democrats  or  jacobins,  but  men 
struggling  for  their  guaranteed  rights,  and  for  the 
very  name  of  their  country,  and,  we  may  add, 
struggling  against  the  worst  enemy  that  England 
lias. 

"  Much  has  been  said  of  the  atrocity  of  the  parti- 
tion of  Poland  in  1793.  We  would  not  say  one 
word  in  extenuation  of  that  abominable  proceeding ; 
but  we  do  say  that  the  desertion  of  Poland,  in  1832, 
by  the  parties  to  the  Treaty  of  Vienna,  was  tenfold 
more  atrocious,  and,  as  far  as  England  is  concerned, 
beyond  measure  more  disgraceful.  England  had 
happily  nothing  to  do  with  the  partition  of  1793 ;  on 
the  other  hand,  she  was  fellow-sufferer  with  the 
Poles ;  for,  after  having  been  led  into  the  French 
revolution  war,  she  found  her  troops  deserted  and 
betrayed  in  the  Low  Countries,  by  her  northern  allies 
rushing  to  the  plunder  of  Poland. 

"  But  can  England  acquit  herself  of  all  share  in 
the  defection  of  1832?  She  was  bound  by  the 
Treaty  of  Vienna;  a  treaty  which,  had  it  been  as 
faithfully  maintained  as  it  had  been  wisely  con- 
structed, would  remain  for  ever  a  monument  of 
conservative  wisdom.  She  was  bound  by  that  treaty 
to  protect  the  independence  of  Poland,  and  she  could 
have  protected  it,  and  at  little  cost.  The  thunders  of  her 


174 


ABSURD    CALUMNIES. 


fleets  at  Cronstadt  and  Odessa  would  have  answered 
the  fire  of  the  artillery  at  Warsaw :  while  the  interests 
of  Prussia  and  Austria,  and  the  free  spirit  of  the 
smaller  German  states,  would  have  been  summoned 
into  activity  by  the  first  British  demonstration.  But 
no,  the  canaille  of  Brussels  were  dearer  to  the  rascal 
rabble  of  London  and  to  the  Popish  rabble  of  Ireland, 
than  right  and  justice,  and  the  faith  of  treaties,  and 
the  free-bom  gentlemen  of  Poland.  The  year  1832 
was  a  year  of  rabble-reign,  if  ever  there  was  one  in 
this  country ;  and  therefore  Poland  was  sacrificed  in 
compromise  for  the  sacrifice  of  the  King  of  the 
Netherlands;  and  with  Poland  was  sacrificed  the 
independence  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  and  ultimately 
of  Greece.  The  opportunity  has  been  lost,  but  it 
is  not,  we  trust,  irrecoverable.  Heaven  is  just,  and 
it  is  accordant  with  our  experience  of  the  dealings 
of  Providence  toward  nations,  to  believe  that  from 
Poland  shall  yet  proceed  the  agent  of  Heaven's  justice 
upon  the  crimes  of  Russia." 

To  these  extracts  from  the  Standard,  I  observe,  as 
to  the  two  first— they  are  maliciously  libellous  and 
exaggerated,  and  I  challenge  proof  of  their  authen- 
ticity. With  regard  to  the  third  mistaken  resume  of 
Russian  policy,  I  shall  only  say  it  is  answered  and 
explained  in  three  words  by  the  very  writer  of  the 
article.  It  was  truly  the  "  canaille  of  Brussels,  and 
the  Popish  rabble  of  London,"  that  induced  England 
first  to  break  the  faith  of  treaties,  sacrifice  the  King 
of  the  Netherlands,  and  depart  from  the  solemn 
obligations  contracted   at  Vienna  and  Paris.     And  as 


ABBE    DU    PRADT  S    OPINIONS. 


175 


this  has  been  the  policy  of  Great  Britain,  upon  what 
pretence  can  she  find  fault  with  Russia  for  endea- 
vouring to  secure  to  herself  Poland  as  a  conquered 
nation  ?  Let  England  beware  lest,  by  such  sentiments 
as  are  here  inconsiderately  developed,  she  may  not 
force  Russia  really  to  hate  her,  and  to  become  the 
intimate  ally  of  France. 

But  enough  of  these  mischievous  extracts.  To  cor- 
roborate more  fully  all  I  have  advanced,  I  would  refer 
the  reader  to  the  Abbe  du  Pradt's  last  work,  "  Sur 
rOrient :"  it  is  an  invaluable  testament  to  Europe.  He 
concludes  thus :  "  In  summing  up  the  contents  of  this 
work,  it  appears  that  several  positions  are  incontrover- 
tibly  established  by  the  principles  and  facts  therein  ad- 
vanced. 1st,  That  the  East,  in  the  point  of  view  in 
which  it  is  generally  considered,  ceases  to  be  a  sub- 
ject for  political  dispute.  2nd,  That  Russia  does  not, 
and  cannot,  entertain  the  projects  attributed  to  her. 
3rd,  That  Turkey  has  not  fallen  into  an  incurable 
and  helpless  decrepitude.  4th,  That  she  has  for  her 
allies  and  defenders  the  interests  of  the  principal 
European  powers.  5th,  That  territorial  questions 
(those  hitherto  fruitful  sources  of  war)  no  longer  arise 
in  Europe.  6th,  That  the  territorial  proximity  of 
the  great  powers  equally  incapacitate  them  all  from 
advancing  or  retrograding — a  circumstance  which  has 
produced,  of  itself  alone,  independently  of  all  pre- 
meditation, a  state  of  reciprocal  security,  from  the 
mere  absence  of  the  materials  for  fresh  encroach- 
ments.    7th,  That  Russia  has  not  that  military  force 


J 


17fi 


OPINIONS    OF 


THE    ABBE    DU    I'RADT. 


177 


which,  for  the  purpose  of  exciting  alarm   and  opposi- 
tion, she  has  been  said  to  possess. 

"  In    animadverting    on  the  increasing  power    of 
Russia,  and  in  developing  the  dangers  with  which 
Turkey  is  menaced  by  the  Czar,  it  should  be  asked 
of  Great  Britain  if  she  has  not  largely  contributed 
herself    to   strengthen    the    hands    of   the   northern 
Colossus.     I  own  I  never  could  contemplate  without 
regret  the  attack  that  was  made  on  the  integrity  of 
the  Ottoman  Empire.     It  was  suggested  by  mistaken 
sympathy   for   a   people    who  were   unworthy  of  it. 
It  was  contrary  to  the  principles  on  which,  at  Paris 
and  Vienna,  the  settlement  of  Europe  was  established. 
It  was  a  fatal  cession  to  expediency,  which  will  bring 
with  it  its  mournful   consequences.     England  largely 
aided    in  stripping  Turkey  of  the    best  portion""  of 
her  empire,   thereby  inflicting   a    blow   on    the    abi- 
lity, energy,  and  power  which  directed  the  councils 
of  the  divan  by  the  superior  knowledge  and  civilisa- 
tion  of  the   Greeks.      But    this   was  not   all.     For 
having  had  the  folly  to  separate  Greece  from  Turkey, 
we   hand    over   the  soi-disant   independent  Helenites 
to  be  governed  as  a  possession  of  Bavaria,  and  then 
exclaim    against    the   increasing   power    of    Russia, 
brought  about  by  acts   to  which   Great  Britain  has 
mainly  contributed.     But  let  it  not  be  supposed   on 
this  account  that  the  fate  of  Turkey  is  sealed,  however 
its  destinies  may  be  obscured  ;   nor  is  this  mutilated 
empire,  as  some  suppose,  at  the  mercy  of  its  formi- 
dable neighbour.     No :  there  are  considerations  of  a 


higher  order ;  and  so  long  as  the  question  of  the 
balance  of  power  in  Europe  is  not  treated  as  a  mere 
chimera,  just  so  long  will  it  be  impossible  for  France 
and  England  ever  to  subscribe  to  Russia  being  the 
arbiter  of  Constantinople,  or  to  wave  her  flag  undis- 
turbed in  the  Bosphorus  and  the  Black  Sea ;  and  let 
the  alarmists  of  Europe  decide  how  Russia  can 
maintain  a  struggle  for  a  possession  which  would 
only  augment  her  interior  troubles  and  embarrass- 
ments, against  two  such  powers  as  would  be  opposed 
to  her,  and  who  would  be  aided,  beyond  all  question, 
by  Austria,  Prussia,  and  the  rest  of  the  European 
continent. 

"  This  new  condition  of  Europe  considerably  dimi- 
nishes the  necessity  of  diplomacy  ;  it  relieves  the 
able  professors  of  the  art  from  some  of  the  cares 
which  have  hitherto  occupied  their  minds.  Alliances 
were  effec;,ed,  partitions  accomplished,  by  remote 
combinations,  and  marriages  considered  as  political 
means ;  there  can  now  be  no  longer  any  misappre- 
hensions upon  these  points.  Napoleon's  marriage 
gave  the  coup  de  grace  to  the  importance  of  princely 
alliances.  The  lesson  is  from  on  high.  How  many 
and  how  great  were  the  advantages  on  which  Napo- 
leon calculated  as  the  consequence  of  his  marriage, 
and  how  was  he  deceived  !  These  truths,  when  fully 
understood,  are  well  calculated  to  correct  the  false 
views  and  remove  the  unfounded  apprehensions  which, 
since  the  year  1830,  have  been  propagated  with  such 
malicious  and  mischievous  pertinacity.  Our  only  ob- 
ject has  been   union  with  the  family  of  the  Caesars ! 

N 


178 


ABBE    DU    PRADT  S    OPTNIONS. 


ARRIVAL    AT    MOSCOW. 


179 


/* 
U 


How   did   this  project  turn    out?     Gustavus  TV.   of 
Sweden,  King  William  and  his  son,  married  women 
who  were  all  of  them  of  illustrious  and  distinguished 
family ;  in  what  have  these  proud    alliances  benefited 
them  ?     Princes  placed  upon  the  throne  by  revolu- 
tions will  show  more  tact  by  allying  themselves  with 
the  transcendent  spirits  of  those  political  convulsions ; 
in  them  support  may  be  found.     It  ought  now  to  be 
a   matter   of  entire   conviction,  that   to   inform    and 
tranquillise  the  public  mind,  and  to  have  succeeded 
in  this  our  endeavour,  will  be  the  best  reward  of  our 
labours.     We  aim  at  nothing  beyond  ;  the  guerdon 
most  flattering  for  an  author  is  not  that  bestowed  upon 
talent,  but  upon   a   sincere  and   disinterested  searcli 
after  truth.     To  shine  is  but  an  evanescent   gratifi- 
cation ;  but  to  be  useful,  to  belong,  at  one  and  the 
same  time,  to  the  old  and  new  order  of  things,   and 
to  reap  the  advantages  of  two  opposite  systems,  is  an 
impossibility.     Henceforth   princes   may  marry  after 
the  fashion  of  Ahasuerus  and  the  ancient  monarchs 
of  the  East ;  they  may  gain  by  it,  but  cannot  lose : 
their  object  should  not  be  to  become  enrolled  among 
the  chapters    of    Germany  ;    but   to   maintain   their 
present  position  is  the  only  lasting  satisfaction." 


CHAPTER  Xir. 


Arrival  at  Moscow— Burning  of  Moscow— Its  Reconstruction — 
Public  Institutions — Commerce — General  Tolstoy— Visit  to 
the  Kremlin — The  Palaces  —  Senate  House  and  Arsenal — 
Grand  Entertainment — Prince  Serge  Galitzen— Dinners  and 
Soirees —Cathedrals  and  Hospitals — Establishment  for  young 
Ladies — Convent  of  Troitza — Return  from  Moscow. 


My  arrival  at  Moscow,  which  I  must  consider  as 
the  great  emporium  of  this  empire,  has  called  forth 
the  foregoing  reflections.  I  will  now  return  to  the 
more  immediate  details  of  this  city.  The  ICremHn 
is  an  irregular  polygon,  and  its  walls  have  withstood 
the  numerous  sieges  and  attacks  of  the  Mongols, 
Lithuanians,  and  the  different  nations  that  have  been 
at  war  with  Russia.  Interesting  as  this  old  fortress 
is  in  the  eyes  of  the  nation  on  this  account,  it  is 
not  less  so  to  the  stranger  when  he  treads  the  same 
balcony  on  which  Napoleon  stood  in  1812,  and  wit- 
nessed the  conflagration  and  destruction  of  the  city  by 
its  own  inhabitants. 

The  reflections  to  which  the  scene  gave  birth  when, 
from  the  same  spot,  you  now  behold  this  vast  city 

N  2 


1. 


180 


BUUNING    OF    MOSCOW. 


ITS    RECONSTRUCTION. 


181 


(> 


renovated  in  more  than  pristine  splendour,  must  be 
highly  to  the  credit  of  the  exertions,  wealth,  and 
power  of  the  natives  and  proprietors  of  this  })art  of 
the  country. 

It  may  be  interesting  here  to  state  that  it  was  in 
September,  1812,  that  Napoleon  established  his  head- 
quarters at  Moscow.     On  the  16th   the  Russians  set 
fire  to  the  city.     The  explosions  from  the  tow^ers — 
the  ocean  of  flames  that  illuminated  the  horizon — the 
diflerent  quarters  of  the  town  all   burning  at  once  — 
noble  edifices  reduced  to  ashes — the  smoking  ruins  of 
the  churches — the  dismal  tolling  of  the  bells,  all  occur- 
ring in  the  severest  cold  of  the  most  wintry  clime,  pro- 
duced a  scene  unparalleled  in  history.     It  took  many 
days  to   consume    the  town.      But    finally  there  re- 
mained  so  little  sign  of  habitations,  that  the  trace  of 
the  streets  themselves  w^as  nearly  lost.     Dead  bodies, 
half-burnt  dead   animals  of  all  sorts,  were  mixed  up 
in  the  ruins.     The  loss  in  value  was  stated  at  two 
hundred  millions  of  roubles  ;   and  fourteen  thousand 
edifices,  palaces,    and   houses  were  destroyed.     The 
loss   to  the  o;overnment  was  immense.     The  Museum 
of  Natural  History,  the  library,  and  the  collection  of 
antiquities  of  the   Kremlin,   became  alike  a  prey  to 
the  devouring  element.     The  heroic  and  determined 
spirit,  however,  of  the  Russian  character  engaged  them 
to    redoubled   energy    in   the   reconstruction    of  this 
ruined  city,  whose  destruction  had  certainly  saved  the 
country  from  the  galling  yoke  of  foreign  oppression 
by  the  determined  spirit  of  Count  Rostopchin,  whose 


plan  and  action  in  thus  setting  fire  to  the  city  was 
fully  achieved. 

Moscow  rose  from  its  cinders  more  beautiful  and 
splendid  than  ever.  The  liberality  of  the  sovereign 
and  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  restored  this  city  to 
life  and  vigour,  as  a  phoenix  from  its  ashes. 

The  St.  Sauveur  Bridge  and  another,  form  the  com- 
munication between  the  Kremlin  and  the  citadel ;  the 
latter,  called  La  Belle   Place,  has  in  itself  formidable 
works.     The  garden  of  Alexander,  and  the  Boulevards 
which  surround  the  town,  afford  beautiful  drives  and 
walks.     The   magnificent  Bazaar  of  Moscow  (which 
resembles   the    Gastinodivor   of  St.   Petersburgh)   is 
situated  in  the  Place  Rouge  or  La  Belle  Place.     It 
contains  all  the  depots  of  merchandise,  persons  of  all 
nations,  denominations,  and  tribes.     The  Exchange  is 
conspicuous,  and  connected  with  the  Raidhi,  the  name 
of  the  bazaar.     The  next  two   important  streets  are 
St.  Basbe  and   St.  Elve ;  and  not  far  from   these  the 
Grand  Place  of  the  Theatre,  called  Petroisskaia.     The 
representations  here  are  often  equal  to  those  of  St. 
Petersburgh,  especially  in  national  pieces;  and  the 
building  is  of  the  largest  description.     Not  far  oflfthe 
theatre  is  the  most  extensive  riding-school  perhaps  in 
the  world,  in  which   a   large  body  of  cavalry  may  be 
exercised.     There  is,  besides,  an    extraordinary  large 
ball-room,  called  L'Assemblee  de   la  Noblesse.     The 
city  is  divided  into  twenty  sections.    The  houses  in  the 
suburbs  are  of  wood,  but  the  fine  palaces  and   build- 
ings in  the  city,  of  stone.     The  pavement  is  bad,  and 


(■ 


182 


1»UBLIC    INSTITUTIONS. 


GENERAL    TOLSTOY. 


183 


r> 


the  lighting  indifferent ;  but  twilight  in  this  northern 
clime  is  so  long,  that  this  inconvenience  is  not  much 
felt. 

The  number  of  public  institutions   is  beyond  belief. 
I  was  informed  there  were  upwards  of  one  thousand 
professors,  and  sixteen  thousand  eleves  in  the  different 
seminaries.     There  are  seven   cathedrals,  three  hun- 
dred churches,  and  seven  hundred  chapels ;   and  the 
population  is  about  two  hundred  and  eighty  thousand. 
The  convents  are  twenty-one,   fourteen  of  which  are 
for  monks,  and  seven  for  nuns.     There  are  a  hundred 
and  sixty-eight  large  streets,  six  hundred  and  fifty- 
four   small,    and    fifty-four    squares;  nine    thousand 
shops,  five  hundred  hotels  or  inns,  and  three  hundred 
restaurateurs ;  also  thirty-three  public  and  six  hun- 
dred private  baths.     This  may  give  some  idea  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  place.       Many  beautiful   chateaus 
and  palaces  are  in  the  neighbourhood,  which  I  was 
unable  to  visit.      The  Chateau   Petrokshi,   built   by 
Catherine    II.,    the  Chateau  Isantsque,    erected    en- 
tirely by  Potemkin    for  the  Empress,  the    Chateau 
Kolomenskir  Celo,  the  Chateau  Askhangkelsk,  and 
various  others,  are  very  worthy  (as  I  was  informed)  of 
examination,  possessing  great  riches  in  pictures  and 
other  valuables. 

Moscow  is  certainly  a  great  commercial  town.  A 
great  proportion  of  the  fine  palaces  and  houses  belongs 
to  merchants ;  the  nobles  and  higher  classes  are  no 
longer  called  here  for  state  purposes  as  at  Peters- 
burgh,  and  the  middle  classes  are  established  in  per- 
manent occupation,  ease,  and  luxury. 


On  our  arrival  we  found  a  very  good  apartment  in 
the  hotel  of  Madame  Howard,  an  Englishwoman,  who 
had  been  some  time  at  Moscow  as  a  gouvernante, 
married  a  person  in  commerce,  and  finally  established 
an  hotel.  The  rooms  were  large  and  airy ;  she  gave 
us  a  separate  kitchen  for  our  own  cook.  The  markets 
at  Moscow  are  admirably  supplied  ;  provisions  cheap 
and  good.  The  weather  during  the  whole  month  of 
October  was  delicious,  and  everything  favoured  the 
examination  and  inspection  of  all  that  was  interesting 
in  the  place. 

We  had  brought  from  St.  Petersburgh  letters  from 
Count  Nesselrode  for  General  Tolstoy,  the  acting 
governor,  during  the  absence,  on  leave,  of  Prince 
Demetrius  Galizen ;  also  for  General  Noboulsin,  who 
was  the  civil  governor,  and  also  the  Directeur  General 
des  Postes.  The  Emperor  had  himself,  in  passing- 
through  Moscow,  on  his  return  to  Czarskoeselo,  after 
his  accident,  (on  hearing  of  our  arrival,)  graciously 
left  directions  that  w^e  should  be  treated  with  every 
attention.  The  effect  of  this  order  and  the  letters  I 
brought  were  perceptible  on  my  first  visit  to  General 
Tolstoy.  After  expressions  of  the  most  flattering  kind, 
his  excellency  said  he  regretted  that  his  daughter-in- 
law,  Madame  Apraxin,  was  absent  in  the  country; 
but  he  had  written  to  her  to  return  to  town  to  do  the 
honours  during  our  stay.  He  then  sent  for  his 
aide-de-camp,  M.  de  Novozilzoff*,  whom  he  had 
charged  with  conducting  us  through  all  the  establish- 
ments and  institutions  of  the  place,  according  to  our 
own  time  and  convenience.     I    had  known   General 


i^l 


184 


VISIT    TO    THE    KREMLIN. 


VISIT    TO    THE    KREMLIN. 


185 


Tolstoy  in  1813,  when  he  commanded  a  Russian 
corps  in  the  north  of  Germany.  The  circumstances 
that  thus  gave  rise  to  a  renewal  of  our  acquaintance 
were  most  agreeable,  and  I  cannot  sufficiently  express 
my  gratitude  for  the  kindness  we  received  at  his 
hands. 

M.  de  NovozilzofF's  friendship  and  constant  atten- 
tion to  us  were  of  the  utmost  importance  ;  he  was  witli 
us  nearly  every  morning  to  know  our  wishes  as  to  the 
expedition  of  the  day.  Joined  to  an  entire  knowledge 
of  everything  connected  witli  Moscow,  he  added  an 
amiability  and  intelligence  that  rendered  him  one  of 
the  most  agreeable  and  kind  friends  we  had  made  in 
Russia. 

The  population  of  Moscow  amounts  to  little 
short  of  three  hundred  thousand.  Were  the  walls  of 
the  Kremlin  to  be  destroyed,  the  gardens  of  the  pa- 
laces built  up,  the  cupolas,  spires,  and  turrets  to  be 
pulled  down,  this  city  would  appear  to  lose  that  pic- 
turesque, imposing  singularity  which  characterises  it ; 
but  it  is  now,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
towns  in  the  world. 

On  the  3rd  of  October  we  made  our  first  visit  to 
the  Kremlin.  Without  going  into  the  details  of  de- 
scriptions often  given,  it  is  enough  to  say,  the  first 
rooms  are  occupied  with  the  jewels  and  treasures  of 
the  crown.  Here  you  see  vases,  goblets,  cups,  old  plate 
of  all  kinds  in  silver,  gilt,  vermoil,  which  carry  the 
imagination  back  to  ages  tliat  are  passed,  of  which 
these  are  the  trophies  and  remembrances.  Next  to 
these  are  the  crown  and  the  robes,  the   old  uniforms 


of  all  the  emperors  that  have  been  crowned  at  Moscow, 
with  the  royal  chairs  and  dais  of  each  coronation. 
The  profusion  of  precious  stones  of  all  descriptions 
that  ornament  these  different  objects  is  beyond  belief. 
All  the  crowns  have  particular  histories  belonging 
to  them,  profoundly  interesting  to  Russian  patriotism, 
but  which  I  passed  by  without  much  notice,  my  atten- 
tion having  been  deeply  riveted  and  interested  by  the 
insignia  that  belonged  to  the  last  King  of  Poland. 
I  confess  I  would  rather,  until  the  present  irri- 
table state  of  feelings  subside  between  the  Russians 
and  the  Poles,  not  have  seen  this  ostentatious  display. 
Near  the  thrones  are  ranged  the  globes  and  sceptres, 
and  then  the  gifts  from  princes  and  potentates  to  the 
different  Czars,  which  are  carefully  noted  down  and 
registered.  The  last  objects  are  a  collection  of  pre- 
cious medals,  and  an  immense  assemblage  of  cuirasses, 
helmets,  and  armour  of  all  sizes,  nations,  and  descrip- 
tions. 

The  magnificent  portrait  of  the  Emperor  Alexander, 
by  Lawrence,  is  placed  in  this  ancient  palace,  and 
here  (as  in  every  public  edifice)  there  is  a  whole- 
length  portrait  of  the  present  Emperor.  In  a  merely 
passing  view  of  this  curious  and  far-famed  palace,  it  is 
not  possible  to  enumerate  half  the  objects  that  strike 
the  eye  and  fix  the  attention  ;  but  enough  has,  I  think, 
been  said  to  excite  the  curiosity  of  all  who  can  repair 
to  Moscow. — The  palaces  were  next  in  succession  to 
be  visited, — the  Palace  of  Czars  or  Belvidere,  the 
Palace  Imperial,  and  the  Palace  Angulen.  These 
splendid  buildings   adjoining  each  other,   or  in   con- 


il 


18G 


THE    PALACES. 


SENATE    HOUSE    AND    ARSENAL. 


182 


( , 


nexion  with  the  Kremliu,  have  a  wonderfully  imposing 
effect. 

The  "  Palace  Imperiar'  is  the  largest  of  the  royal 
residences.  I  cannot  enumerate  its  extensive  apart- 
ments and  magnificent  decorations.  In  this  palace 
you  see  the  rooms  that  were  last  inhabited  by  Alex- 
ander ;  and  they  show  you  his  iron  bedstead  and 
paliasse  case,  which  (possibly  with  some  presentiment 
of  his  fate)  he  would  not  allow  to  be  removed  with 
him  from  Moscow,  the  last  time  he  was  there  on  his 
way  to  the  Sea  of  Azof,  from  which  expedition  he 
never  returned.  You  remark,  on  contemplating  this 
lowly  couch,  the  extreme  simplicity  of  this  monarch's 
habits.  Like  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  he  always  re- 
posed on  a  small  iron  camp  bedstead,  which  was  put 
up  in  the  rooms  he  occupied  in  his  various  splendid 
palaces.  The  guide  further  directs  your  attention  to 
the  knives,  scissors,  pencils,  wax,  and  even  to  the  bits 
of  dry  bread,  pocket  handkerchief,  and  gloves,  all 
arranged  as  Alexander  himself  left  them,  and  which 
are  shown  precisely  in  the  same  manner  in  the  other 
palaces  last  inhabited  by  him. 

When  the  Emperor  and  Empress  visit  Moscow,  tliey 
reside  in  the  same  palace  which  Nicholas  occupied 
when  Grand  Duke.  I  believe  this  is  called  Le  Palais 
de  Menus  Plaisirs. 

In  addition  to  these  residences,  the  Empress  has  a 
most  beautiful  villa  {a  VAjigloise)  just  without  the 
city,  bought  recently  of  the  Countess  Orloft'. 

The  senate-house  and  the  arsenal  are  the  next  most 
imposing   buildings— the  former  built  in  the  reign  of 


Catherine.  In  front  of  the  latter,  the  most  striking 
feature  of  interest  is  the  arrangement  of  all  the  cannon 
captured  from  the  French  army  in  the  year  1812,  on 
their  retreat  from  Moscow.  The  Palace  of  the  Pa- 
triarch is  also  deserving  of  attention,  as  is  the  Tower 
of  Trukheroff,  which  is  of  very  remarkable  architec- 
ture. Within  this  building  is  the  great  reservoir  of 
water  for  the  supply  of  Moscow. 

Having  finished  a  very  long  day's  excursion,  we 
returned  to  our  hotel.  Here  a  considerable  number 
of  visiting  cards  greeted  us ;  and  we  found  that  our 
letters  of  introduction  from  Count  Nesselrode,  added 
to  the  Emperor's  desire  that  we  should  be  attended 
to,  had  brought  all  the  magnates  of  the  town  to  our 
hotel.  The  early  part  of  the  following  morning  was 
taken  up  mainly  by  the  crowd  of  Jews,  Greeks,  Turks, 
and  Polish  merchants,  that  besieged  our  doors,  to  dis- 
play the  riches  of  the  East,  in  shawls,  sables,  furs, 
turquoises,  &c.  I  can  fairly  declare  that  our  own 
apartments  were  never  free  in  the  daytime  from  one 
bargaining  merchant  or  another  during  our  stay ;  at 
breakfast,  dinner,  and  coffee,  &c.,  there  was  no  reldcke. 
Articles  of  such  richness  can  only  be  met  with  at 
Moscow. 

While  part  of  the  day  was  occupied  in  continual 
bargains  and  purchases,  I  must  not  omit  to  give  some 
account  of  the  remainder — the  dinner,  society,  and 
the  soirees. 

Our  first  grand  entertainment  was  from  the 
General  Count  Tolstoy.  The  governor's  palace  is 
splendid,  and  stands  in  one  of  the  finest  squares,  with 


■  f 


188 


rUlNCE    SERGE    GALITZEN. 


'I 


the  corps  de  garde  opposite  to  it.  We  sat  down 
about  forty  to  dinner  in  a  large  apartment.  The 
Countess  Apraxin,  one  of  tlie  most  charming  women 
I  met  with  in  Russia,  daughter-in-law  of  the  Count, 
did  the  honours  of  his  house :  she  had  lost  her 
husband  by  the  cholera  when  it  raged  in  Moscow, 
was  left  a  widow  with  three  or  four  young  cliildren, 
and  had  taken  the  control  of  her  father-in-law's 
establishment.  The  numerous  servants,  the  liglitiiig 
of  the  rooms,  and  the  magnificence  of  the  reception, 
including  a  dinner  and  excellent  cuisine,  with  wines 
of  all  descriptions,  could  not  fail  to  make  this  enter- 
tainment most  agreeable  and  gratifying. 

The  next  dinner  that  was  prepared  for  us  was 
at  Prince  Serge  Galitzen's ;  he  is  of  the  same 
family  as  Prince  Demetrius  Galitzen,  the  governor  of 
the  town.  The  Galitzens  are  innumerable  in  Russia  ; 
but  Prince  Serge  has  great  possessions  in  Moscow, 
where  he  may  be  fairly  regarded  as  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire  of  that  part  of  Russia.  His  palaces  and 
style  of  reception,  both  in  the  city  and  at  his  country 
residence,  a  few  wersts  from  Moscow,  exhibit 
princely  generosity  and  good  taste.  It  is  un- 
necessary for  me  to  say  more  of  so  distinguished  a 
person,  from  whom  I  received  the  most  marked 
civilities  and  unbounded  kindness,  and  for  whom  I 
entertain  real  affection  and  respect.  Prince  Serge 
Galitzen's  palace  contains  the  finest  dining-rooms 
in  Moscow,  or  perhaps  in  the  world :  his  house 
is  decorated  with  pictures  of  the  best  masters  ;  and 
statues,  malnchite,  jasper,  and  porphyry,  are  in  pro- 
fusion. 


\\      « 


DINNERS    AND    SOIREES. 


189 


The  prince  has  been  long  separated  from  his  wife ; 
they  were  never  more  than  twenty-four  hours  toge- 
ther. She  was  very  beautiful,  and  she  has  been 
long  travelling  over  the  world  under  some  secret 
impression,  and  has  wished  on  this  account  to  obtain 
a  divorce.  But  difficulties  occurred  and  the  mar- 
riage was  never  annulled.  They  continue,  how- 
ever, to  reside  separately,  he  enjoying  his  splendid 
possessions  and  revenues  at  Moscow,  and  she  living 
at  a  sumptuous  palace  at  Petersburgh. 

Our  next  feast  was  on  the  12th  October,  at  the 
civil  governor's.  We  had  here  a  similar  display  of 
splendid  hospitality.  I  remarked  a  singularity  at  this 
table  which  I  understand  prevails  at  many  of  the 
houses  in  Moscow.  The  impression  is  so  strong  that 
spilling  or  helping  the  salt  at  dinner  will  be  attended 
with  misfortune,  that  the  table,  w^hen  laid  out,  has 
here  and  there  little  piles  or  made-up  pyramids 
of  salt,  from  which  all  help  themselves.  Our 
society  at  these  brilliant  repasts  was  generally 
much  the  same,  composed  of  the  high  civil  and 
military  officers  of  the  city,  and  the  elite  of  the 
noblesse  and  inhabitants,  to  the  number  of  forty  or 
fifty. 

In  addition  to  the  dinners  which  I  ha\'e  thus 
hastily  described,  we  had  soirees  prepared  for  us, 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  which,  with  a  luxurious 
supper  and  wines,  was  at  the  Comtesse  Geredenoff's. 
The  director  of  the  public  theatres,  also,  was  in  no 
way  behindliand  in  offering  us  attentions  ;  he  placed 
his  box  at  our  disposal :  a  Russian  opera  and  ballet 


■ 


if 


190 


CATHEDRALS    AND    HOSPITALS. 


were  performed  expressly  for  our  gratification.  So 
much  for  our  evening  amusements. 

I  commenced  a  tour  of  the  different  establishments 
on  the  4th  of  October,  with  the  kind  attendance  and 
never-ceasing  civihty  of  M.  de  Novozilzoff,  and  did 
not  finish  these  deeply  interesting  examinations  until 
the  15th,  two  days  previously  to  our  departure  from 
Moscow. 

The  cathedrals  and  churches  are  decidedly  amongst 
the  objects  well  worthy  of  examination.  The  church 
of  Vassehir  Blagenon  is  of  all  others  the  most  sin- 
gular and  remarkable.  I  should  not  forget  to  allude 
to  the  enormous  bell  which  is  close  to  the  Kremlin 
Cathedral,  in  commemoration  of  a  horrible  famine 
in  Russia  in  1600.  This  bell  was  destroyed  by  the 
French  in  1812,  but  was  afterwards  repaired  and  put 
into  its  tower  again,  from  which  place  you  can  see 
thirty-two  large  cathedral  or  church  spires. 

The  institutions  are  composed  of  three  classes : 
those  established  by  the  government  fur  public  in- 
struction ;  those  that  are  formed  by  general  and 
individual  philanthropy ;  and  those  that  are  purely 
military,  and  for  branches  of  the  public  service. 
Those  which  I  inspected  are  the  following. 

1.  The  Foundling  Hospital,  which  is  on  a  much 
greater  scale  than  anything  I  ever  could  have  ima- 
gined; it  is  in  perfect  order  and  imder  the  most 
judicious  management. 

2nd.  The  Establishment  des  Demoiselles  Nobles. 

3rd.  The  Military  Hospitals. 

4th.  The  Cholera  Hospital. 


1      ' 


KSTAHLISHMENT    FOR    YOUNG    LADIES. 


191 


5th.  The  Lunatic  Hospital. 

6th.  The  Corps  des  Cadets. 

Each  of  these  no  doubt  demands  a  particular  de- 
scription.  But  as  for  the  most  part  they  are  on  the 
same  plan  as  those  at  St.  Petersburgh,  and  as  I  shall 
describe  the  latter  at  length,  I  shall  confine  myself  in 
this  place  to  an  opinion,  that  no  government  in  the 
civilised  world  devotes  more  attention  than  that  of  Russia 
to  useful  and  beneficial  establishments  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  education,  and  the  moral,  intellectual, 
and  religious  improvement  of  the  empire.  Here  at 
Moscow,  as  elsewhere  in  Russia,  the  most  talented 
persons  from  other  countries  have  been  engaged  to 
be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  institutions.  Russia 
shows  sense  and  dexterity  in  availing  herself  of  all 
the  advantage  which  can  be  derived  from  the  infor- 
mation, superior  knowledge,  and  acquirements  of 
other  countries.  Moscow  is  governed  by  a  senate 
and  a  synod,  and  a  College  des  Affaires  Etrangeres, 
(all  under  the  civil  and  military  governor,)  who 
correspond  with  and  receive  their  orders  direct  from 
the  departments  of  Petersburgh. 

If  I  were  to  particularise  any  of  the  great  institu- 
tions at  Moscow,  which  called  forth  my  warmest 
admiration,  it  would  undoubtedly  be  the  "  JSta- 
hlissement  des  Demoiselles  Nobles.''  In  contemplating 
a  seminary  of  six  or  seven  hundred  young  women, 
from  the  ages  of  eight  or  nine,  to  eighteen  or  nine- 
teen, the  daughters  of  nobles  and  the  fairest  flowers 
of  the  empire,  it  is  impossible  not  to  take  a  peculiar 
interest  in  the  management  that  is  submitted  to  your 


^  I 


J  92 


ESTABLISHMKNT    FOR 


YOUNG    LADICS. 


193 


observation.  Tlie  young  ladies  are  in  classes  accord- 
ing to  their  ages.  In  the  class-rooms  they  are 
instructed  in  languages  and  accomplisliments.  They 
have  their  large  saloon  for  recreation,  dancing,  and 
exercises,  a  magnificent  hall  for  their  meals,  and 
an  airy  and  capacious  dormitory,  their  hospital  ward 
and  rooms,  with  convalescent  apartments. 

In  the  above  distribution  there  is  much  the  same 
order  of  arrangement  preserved  as  in  the  military 
academies,  and  the  Corps  des  Cadets  Institution  : 
the  governesses  and  preceptors  seem  to  be  chosen  with 
the  greatest  possible  care.  The  education  is  at  the 
expense  of  the  crown,  and  at  twenty  they  leave  the 
institution,  being  then  complete  in  their  acquirements. 
To  an  observer,  it  is  impossible  to  see  anything  work 
better  than  this  system  appears  to  do.  The  go- 
vernesses appear  respectable  and  well-informed  ladies, 
and  refined  in  their  manners.  The  Slhcs  (especially 
the  elder  ones)  not  only  displayed,  on  examination, 
great  knowledge,  but  exhibited  it  naturally,  without 
ostentation  or  affectation.  Their  carriage  and  grace 
struck  me  as  very  distinguished.  Most  particular 
attention  seemed  to  be  paid  to  their  neatness  in 
dress.  In  short,  were  I  to  offer  an  opinion,  I 
should  say,  that  were  it  not  for  the  insurmountable 
obstacles  which  the  difference  of  religion  presents  to  a 
Protestant,  I  would  infinitely  prefer  placing  my  girls 
in  the  Institution  des  Demoiselles  Nobles  to  edu- 
cating them  at  home.  But  then  the  question  arises  in 
Russia,  What  are  the  future  prospects  of  perhaps  two- 
thirds  of  these  young  persons,  w^hen  sent   from  the 


establishment?  It  is  notorious,  that  the  greater 
part  of  them  belong  to  poor,  though  well-born 
families.  They  come  for  admission  from  all  parts 
to  the  empire,  and  much  interest  is  necessary  to 
secure  it,  and  there  is  great  emulation  and  rivalry  in 
endeavouring  to  obtain  it.  They  are  brought  up  in 
every  luxury  :  they  have  every  incitement  and  oppor- 
tunity, till  twenty  years  old,  of  cultivating  their 
talents,  and  of  acquiring  knowledge  of  every  descrip- 
tion. But  then,  turned  adrift,  what  is  to  be  their 
iiite  ?  If  they  do  not  marry,  they  are  thrown  back 
upon  their  poor  parents,  no  longer  treated  as  they 
have  been,  and  may  be  called  upon  to  return  to  the 
drudgery  of  a  Russian  house  and  Russian  menage; 
they  pine  after  all  they  have  left  behind  ;  they  become 
unhappy  and  miserable.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they 
marry  a  poor  soldier  or  a  man  of  small  means,  they 
are  wholly  unfit  for  the  duties  of  an  humble  lot  ;  and 
their  beautiful  embroidery  is  lost  sight  of  in  the  more 
necessary  employment  of  making  and  working  coarse 
brown  cloth  ;  their  drawings  are  given  up  for  keeping 
house  accounts,  their  music  and  dancing  for  attending 
to  the  dairy  and  looking  after  the  flock. 

These  are  mournful  but  true  reflections;  and 
my  doubt  is,  whether  the  plan  is  not  on  too 
luxurious  and  princely  a  scale.  It  is,  however,  clear 
that  these  endowments  furnish  to  the  empire  a  perfect 
nursery  for  governesses.  The  young  ladies  going 
forth  into  such  great  families  as  can  make  them  mem- 
bers of  their  interior  and  associates  of  their  children, 
may   feel  none   of  the   changes  or    deprivations   to 

o 


Ill       !■  ■ 


(( 


194 


ESTABLISHMENT    FOR    YOUNG    LADIES. 


which  I  have  above  alluded  ;  and,  certainly,  many 
of  them  may,  by  the  protection  of  tlie  Empress  and 
the  Imperial  family,  be  placed  in  positions  where  their 
education  will  have  made  their  fortune  and  their  hap- 
piness. But  I  am  apprehensive  as  to  the  fate  of 
many  of  these  young  persons,  until  this  vast  empire 
becomes  richer  and  more  advanced. 

It  is  not  alone  at    Moscow  that  these  seminaries 
for  young  ladies  are  founded  ;  they  exist  in  most  of  the 
laro-e  towns,  and  on  the  most  extensive  scale  at  St. 
Petersburgh,    where  the   present  Empress   pays   the 
greatest   attention   to    them.     They   were   originally 
formed  by  the  Empress  Catherine.     The  most  beauti- 
ful part  of  the  parade,  if  I  may  so  express  myself,  of 
these  young  demoiselles,  is  when  six  or  seven  hundred 
of  them  collect  before  their  different  tables  for  dinner, 
arranged  according  to  their  classes,  and  sing  or  chant 
the  grace,  which  is  rather  long ;  their  juvenile  and 
angelic  voices,  en  masse,  in  perfect  tune,  give  utter- 
ance to  sounds  almost  divine.     It  is  a  harmony  that 
cannot  be  conceived  unless  it  has  been  heard.    Neither 
can  anything  be  superior  to  the  works  of  industry, 
the  drawings  and  embroidery,  that  are  shown  as  the 
production  of  the  scholars,  the  greater  part  of  which 
is  at  the  Imperial  disposal ;  but  by  great  favour,  oc- 
casionally, visitors  are  allowed  to  purchase  them,  the 
proceeds  being  applied  to  charitable  purposes. 

Although  with  far  different  sensations  from  those 
with  which  I  visited  these  last-named  establishments 
of  grace,  innocence,  and  beauty,  I  next  examined 
the  incomparable  system  of  good   order  that  reigned 


ifi 


CONVENT    OF    TROITZA. 


195 


throughout  the  prisons  of  Moscow.  I  saw  the  dif- 
ferent classes  of  malefactors,  male  and  female,  ar- 
ranged upon  a  plan  of  cleanliness  and  discipline  far 
surpassing  similar  establishments  in  England.  It  is 
true,  there  was  no  tread-mill,  neither  was  there  the 
knout,  whicli  is  so  much  and  so  ignorantly  talked  of 
as  belonging  to  the  system  of  Russia ;  but  there  was 
solitary  confinement,  with  deprivation  of  small  com- 
forts enjoyed  by  tlie  well-behaved  portion  of  the  crimi- 
nals ;  and  this,  I  was  assured,  answered  every  purpose 
of  order  and  discipline. 

On  the  16th  of  October  we  made  an  excursion  from 
Moscow  to  the  famous  convent  of  Troitza.  This  is 
one  of  the  oldest  religious  monasteries  in  Russia.  It 
has  been  a  strongly  fortified  place,  and  has  resisted 
the  repeated  attacks  that  have  been  made  upon  it  by 
all  the  enemies  and  predatory  tribes  that  have  at- 
tempted its  destruction  from  early  ages,  and  have 
since  become  subject  to  Russia ;  the  Tartars,  Mongols, 
Circassians,  &c.  The  situation  of  the  monastery 
is  as  picturesque  and  curious,  as  the  riclics,  jewels,  and 
gems,  contained  within  its  walls,  are  remarkable.  We 
were  received  in  the  most  kind  and  affable  manner 
by  the  superior,  and  were  conducted  by  him  to  all  the 
interesting  objects  of  the  convent. 

The  riches  of  Troitza  have  been  accumulating  for 
ages,  and  it  is  singular  that  they  never  fell  into  the 
hands  of  an  enemy.  Even  Napoleon  passed  it  by,  only 
sending  out  patroles  in  its  direction  from  Moscow.  The 
monastery  is  surrounded  by  heights,  and  stands  promi- 
nently  on  one  of  the  most  commanding  of  them.     It 

o  2 


! 


1 


r* 


ine 


CONVENT    OF    TROITZA. 


has  a  multitude  of  gilt  domes,  cupolas,  and  spires, 
which  give  it,  at  a  distance,  the  appearance  of  a  mag- 
nificent town.  A  very  high  stone  wall  surrounds  the 
convent,  flanked  with  eight  high  towers.  Without  tlie 
walls  is  the  hotel,  and  the  houses  and  shops  of  the 
town.  Within,  the  most  striking  objects  are  the  ca- 
thedral of  the  Trinity,  the  house  where  the  treasure  is 
kept,  and  the  palace  of  tlie  Czars. 


! 

I      ill 


/ 


RETURN    FROM    MOSCOW. 


197 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Return  from  Moscow — Grand  Review — Russian  Cavalry — The 
Emperor  Nicholas — Czarskoeselo — Imperial  Soiree — Etiquette 
of  Dress — Conversation  with  the  Emperor— High  Mass. 


il 


Our  return  from  Moscow  to  Petersburgh,  in  the  end 
of  October,  presented  nothing  very  remarkable.  We 
travelled  back  with  pretty  nearly  the  same  arrange- 
ments, halting  at  the  same  places ;  and  on  our  arrival 
at  Petersburgh  we  were  again  lodged  in  the  Hotel 
de  Londres,  opposite  the  Admiralty. 

My  first  duty  on  my  return  was  to  pay  my  respects 
to  the  high  functionaries,  the  ministers,  and  the  court. 
We  were  greeted  with  an  invitation  from  their  Im- 
perial Majesties  to  repair  again  to  their  beautiful 
palace  at  Czarskoeselo,  and  I  shall  endeavour  to  give 
some  lengthened  detail  of  this  most  interesting  visit, 
having  first  described  a  grand  review  to  which  I  was 
invited. 

On  the  24th  of  October  the  Emperor  had  graci- 
ously proposed  to  me  to  be  present  at  a  review  of  the 
cavalry  of  the  guards.  I  received  an  invitation  by  letter, 


'^'       law^r* 


f 


198 


GRAND    KKVIKW. 


RUSSIAN    CAVALRY. 


19!) 


I 


n 


#1 


on  the  evening  of  the  23rd,  from  Benkendorff,  the 
minister  of  war,  saying,  he  was  commanded  by  his 
Imperial  Majesty  to  invite  me  to  the  manoeuvre  ;  that 
one  of  his  horses  would  be  in  waiting  for  me  at  the 
Marble  Palace,  close  to  the  Champ  de  Mars,  where 
the  manoeuvre  was  to  take  place.  Officers  were  ex- 
pected in  full  dress  at  twelve.  I  repaired  to  the 
palace,  where  I  found  a  richly  caparisoned  Arabian 
charger  ready  for  me,  and  joining  Generals  Benken- 
dorff and  Czernicheff,  we  proceeded  to  where  a  very 
large  assemblage  of  general  and  staff  officers  were 
waiting  the  Emperor's  arrival. 

In  a  few  minutes  his  Imperial  Majesty  made  his 
appearance.  Riding  directly  up  to  me,  with  the  most 
cordial  shake  of  the  hand,  he  added,  "  Mon  cher, 
je  suis  enchant^  de  vous  voir ;  vous  n'es  pas  le  moindre 
du  monde  chang^."  He  then  galloped  off  rapidly  to  the 
body  of  the  cavalry,  which  were  formed  in  two  lines. 
Arriving  on  the  left  flank,  he  received  the  salutes  as  he 
passed  along,  greeting  every  regiment  with  tlie  accus- 
tomed cry  of  "  How  are  you,  my  children  ?"  wliile 
they  reply,  in  deafening  response,  "  We  thank  you,  my 
father."  The  cavalry  assembled  consisted  of  about 
eight  thousand  horses.  The  regiments  of  Chevaliers 
de  la  Garde,  detachments  of  regiments  formed  regi- 
mentally,  assembled  at  Pctersburgh  for  instruction, 
six  troops  of  Light  Artillery  carrying  flying  pontoons, 
Cossacks  of  the  Don,  and  of  the  Guard,  and  Circas- 
sian Cossacks,  formed  the  mass  that  was  collected. 
The  space  of  the  Champ  de  Mars,  large  as  it  is,  is  too 
confined  to  exercise,  in  extended  niananivre,  so  nume- 


rous a  body  of  cavalry.  The  Emperor,  putting  himself 
in  the  centre,  made  the  two  lines  defile  before  him  in 
parade  order.  They  next  passed  in  columns  of  squa- 
drons, in  a  trot,  and  afterwards  at  a  gallop.  A  charge, 
or  swarm,  of  the  Circassians  and  Cossacks  followed. 
The  galloping  by  of  each  regiment  in  close  column  of 
squadrons,  and  a  general  salute,  finished  the  exercises; 
when  the  Emperor,  riding  up  to  the  assembled  gene- 
ral and  staff  officers,  dismissed  tlieni  with,  "  Adieu, 
Messieurs  / " 

I  had  not  seen  this  cavalry  since  1815.  The  men 
were  always  fine,  but  I  was  not  at  all  prepared  to  see 
so  great  a  change  in  the  species  of  horse  on  which 
they  were  mounted  There  must  have  been  amazing 
efforts  in  the  diflerent  cavalry  depots  of  the  army  to 
improve  the  breed  so  greatly.  Every  horse  seemed  to 
show  Arabian  or  Tartar  blood  ;  their  bone,  beauty, 
and  action  struck  me  most  forcibly.  The  Circassian 
and  Chevalier  de  Garde  have  not  the  heaviness  and 
want  of  action  that  many  of  our  life-guard  horses 
often  exhibit,  and  I  should  declare,  at  once,  that  the 
Russian  cavalry  of  the  Guard  cannot  be  surpassed. 
The  regiments  I  should  select  as  the  most  perfect,  are 
the  Grenadiers  a  Cheval,  and  the  Lancers  of  the 
Guard.  Another  beautiful  corps  is  the  Hussars  of 
the  Guard,  all  mounted  on  grey  horses ;  the  Lan- 
cers have  chestnuts.  The  Hussars  are  commanded  bv 
the  Caesarowitch,  and  the  Chevalier  Garde,  being  the 
Empress's  regiment ;  she  sometimes  (although  not 
on  the  present  occasion)  marches  by  in  uniform, 
on  horseback,  at  the  head  of  the  corps.    The  dressing 


•      I  ■         «•  I 


( 


(' 


■9 


95B! 


1 


200 


RUSSIAN    CAVALRY. 


of  each  horse,  the  manner  in  which  he  was  bitted,  the 
hand  each  rider  seemed  to  have  on  his  animal,  his  seat 
and  general  position,  appeared  to  me  admirable.     The 
officers,  I  observed  with  some  surprise,  did  not  appear 
as  good  riders,  or  as  well  drilled,  as  the  privates.     In 
passing  by  and  in  their  wheelings,  I  saw  no  floating, 
flying  off,  or  confusion  in  the  squadrons.    Distances  ac- 
curately preserved,  no  difference  of  pace,  no  hurrying, 
and  no  tailing.  Having  constantly  exercised  cavalry  for 
fifteen  or  twenty  years  of  my  life,  I  may,  without  pre- 
sumption,  express  a  decided  approbation  of  the  per- 
fection, in  all  its  parts,  of  this  interesting  review.    The 
Emperor  is  himself  an  excellent  drill  and  tactician. 
He  has  a  decided  passion  for  arms,  and  is  frequently 
exercising  officer  of  his  own  troops,  particularly  the 
Guards.     That  this  inspires  the  officers  and  men  with 
emulation  cannot  be  doubted.  They  are  always  acting 
under  the  eye  of  the  mighty  sovereign,  from  whom 
alone  all  favours  and  promotions  emanate.    There  can 
be  no  deception  in  reports  of  regiments ;   every  corps 
stands  before  its  great  leader.      It  may  well  be  ques- 
tioned how  the  sovereign  of  such  an  empire  can  thus  give 
his  time  to  the  extreme  minutiae  of  his  military  force ; 
but  that  Nicholas  accomplishes  it,  is  beyond  all  doubt. 
In   his   directions  in  command,  he  is  clear,  loud,  and 
distinct,    the   general  officers   of  the  line    and  com- 
manding officers  repeating  the  word ;    but  tliere  was 
no  trumpet  or  bugle  sound  to  denote  the  pace  and 
moment  of  moving  off*,  as  is  the  practice  in  our  Eng- 
lish cavalry,    which  I  think  defective  in  the  Russian 
exercise.     As  the  body  does  not  get  off'  the  ground  at 


THE    EMPEROR    NICHOLAS. 


201 


once,  the  Emperor  manceuvring  stands  alone,  unaided 
by  chiefs  of  staff*,  aides-de  camp,  or  any  orderly  offi- 
cers. So  thoroughly  does  he  understand  what  he  is 
about,  you  would  instinctively  select  him  at  once  as 
the  fittest  of  all  to  be,  by  due  pre-eminence,  at  the 
head  of  the  force.  The  mounted  bands  of  wind  in- 
struments are  numerous  and  perfect ;  the  officers  in 
general  well  mounted.  The  Emperor  rode  a  tall, 
black,  English  charger,  with  rather  a  cocked  tail ;  but 
as  I  saw  him,  two  days  after,  with  the  infantry  move- 
ments on  the  same  horse,  I  conclude  he  is  a  favourite. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  review,  his  Imperial  Majesty 
rode  oflf  to  his  favourite  palace,  the  Palais  ArnishkoflP, 
the  Newski  Perspective. 

I  do  not  believe  that  Napoleon,  or  any  general  of 
an  army,  ever  identified  himself  so  much  with  the  detail 
and  the  immediate  command  of  his  forces  as  the  Em- 
peror Nicholas  does.  In  making  this  observation,  and 
expressing  my  astonishment  at  the  capacity  and  acti- 
vity that  could  get  through  so  much  of  the  minutiae,  to 
General  Benkendorft',  the  private  secretary  and  confi- 
dential aide-de-camp  of  the  Emperor,  (brother  to 
Madame  la  Princesse  de  Lieven,)  he  replied,  *'I1  est 
le  nieme  en  tout,  le  professeur  en  tout ;"  and  from  all 
I  have  seen  of  the  personal  exertions  of  this  monarch 
since  my  arrival  at  St.  Petersburgh,  I  do  believe  it  to 
be  true. 

The  Emperor,  on  the  occasion  of  our  visit  to  Czars- 
koeselo,  condescended  to  render  it  as  agreeable  as 
possible.  It  had  been  arranged  by  his  Imperial  Ma- 
jesty to  have  us  at  a  small  party  on  the  Saturday,  and 


/ 


i  i 


202 


CZARSKOESELO. 


IMPERIAL    SOIREE. 


203 


■t 


$ 


to  give  us  a  dinner,  soiree,  spectacle,  and  ball,  on 
Sunday,  to  which  the  ambassadors  and  ambassadresses 
and  many  others  were  also  invited. 

We  arrived  in  the  evening  about  five,  and  were 
shown  to  our  apartments.  As  the  Emperor  inhabits 
the  same  palace  in  which  he  lived  when  Grand  Duke, 
the  wing  of  the  Empress  Catherine's  palace,  where  we 
were  lodged,  is  destined  for  strangers  and  company, 
who  from  time  to  time  are  invited  to  Czarskoeselo. 
Nothing  can  be  better  arranged  than  this  reception. 
Your  apartments,  attendance,  and  wants  are  sup])licd 
as  if  you  were  in  your  own  country  residence  ;  you 
have  only  to  ask  and  send  for  all  you  need.  The 
dinners  and  receptions  at  the  Imperial  residence  are 
announced  for  certain  hours,  and  carriages  of  tlic 
court  attend  to  take  you  and  bring  you  back.  There 
is  only  one  inconvenience,  which  is,  that  there  are 
neither  feather-beds,  mattresses,  nor  sheets,  for  your- 
selves or  servants,  (the  latter  are  never  expected  to  use 
any  in  Russia  ;)  it  is  thus  necessary  to  bring  your 
own,  which  they  expect  and  permit  to  be  put  up 
in  the  finest  saloons.  Another  singular  circumstance 
in  the  palace  is,  that  all  the  duties  are  performed  by 
men ;  no  such  necessary  attendant  as  a  house-maid  or 
a  female  is  to  be  found  ;  there  is  also  a  great  number 
of  blacks  as  attendants.  These  are  dressed  in  Turkish 
costume,  and  many  of  them  are  Algerines. 

At  nine  the  soiree  commenced.  I  had  seen  the 
Emperor  at  both  the  manoeuvres,  but  our  meeting 
on  horseback  did  not  afford  the  opportunity  for  the 
cordial   reception    with   which    I    was   now   greeted. 


When  with  his  troops,  his  Imperial  Majesty's  attention 
is  so  entirely  ^^Tapped  up,  that  he  seldom  articulates 
but  to  order,  reprimand,  or  approve.  At  the  two 
reviews  I  had  little  conversation  with  him,  further 
than  the  remarks  I  ventured  to  make  upon  the  troops. 
Op  seeing  me  enter  the  saloon,  crowded  with  oflScers 
and  ladies,  he  advanced  to  me  with  eagerness,  and 
drawing  me  into  the  outer  room,  he  bestowed  on  me 
the  warmest  reception,  and  entered  into  a  long, 
familiar,  and  interesting  conversation,  which  of 
course  due  delicacy  precludes  my  putting  to  paper. 
At  the  close  of  it  the  Empress  came  up,  and  inquiring 
as  to  my  satisfaction  with  all  we  had  seen  at  Moscow, 
I  was  obliged  to  go  through  the  description,  as  well 
and  as  shortly  as  I  could,  of  what  was  most  striking 
there.  When  she  had  left  me,  and  they  had  noticed 
all  the  circle,  the  musicians  of  the  chapel  began  the 
concert  that  was  intended  for  the  evening.  The  Em- 
press led  Lady  L to  the  sofa,  and  conversed  with 

her  nearly  all  the  evening.  The  Emperor,  with  two 
of  his  aides-de-camp,  (Generals  Czernicheft'  and 
Kisseleflf,)  sat  down  to  whist.  About  eighty  or  a 
hundred  ladies,  and  as  many  officers  of  high  rank  and 
charges  de  cour,  formed  in  groups,  while  the  young 
children  of  the  Emperor,  with  their  companions,  the 
sons  of  those  attached  to  the  court,  together  with  go- 
vernesses and  preceptors  without  end,  added  to  the 
crowd  in  the  ante-room  and  great  saloon. 

This  assemblage,  without  form  or  ceremony,  exhi- 
bited a  happiness  and  cheerfulness  seldom  seen  in  the 


M  !1 

If      '   ■ 


i'l 


""^Sf* 


204 


ETIQUETTE    OF    DRESS. 


CONVERSATION    WITH    THE    EMPEROR. 


205 


interior  of  a  sovereign  ;  "  the  eternal  ordering  you  out 
of  the  way  for  a  royal  personage,"  the  hint  or  fear  that 
you  are  turning  your  back  on  royalty,  seemed  here 
banished ;  and  the  familiarity  was  so  kindly,  yet  so 
bewitchingly  established,  that  in  half  an  hour  I  felt  as 
if  I  were  at  home. 

The  Empress  seeing  me  looking  at  Madame  Krud- 
ner,  a  very  distinguished,  beautiful,  and  extraordinary 
person,  to  whom  her  Imperial  Majesty  is  supposed  to 
be  much  attached,  immediately  came  up  and  said, 
"  Oh,  my  Lord,  I  must  present  you  to  my  handsome 
ladies," — and  it  was  soon  accomplished.  This  anec- 
dote I  merely  mention  as  illustrative  of  the  amiability, 
without  form,  which  characterises  these  royal  parties ; 
but  it  would  be  unpardonable  and  highly  indecorous 
to  make  these  memoranda  in  any  shape  a  record  of 
any  private  conversations,  or  of  what  passed  in  the  con- 
descending private  intercourse  with  illustrious  persons. 

Z,es  dames  d'honneur  of  the  Empress,  if  not  all 
handsome,  are  excessively  prh^enante  and  engaging. 
But  I  must  record  a  circumstance  that  peculiarly 
belongs  to  this  court  at  the  present  day.  It  is,  tliat 
they  make  a  real  study  of  dress,  so  that  the  Empress 
appears  to  know  every  toilette  of  her  court ;  and,  not 
content  with  dressing  in  the  morning  and  the  evening, 
the  ladies  of  the  palace  and  those  who  visit  the  court 
dress  sometimes  four  or  five  times  a  day.  The  most 
singular  fancy  is,  that  when  ladies  go  at  four  to  dinner 
in  their  very  best  toilette,  they  are  dismissed  at  six, 
and  come  again  at  eight,  but  with  a  completely  new 
costume.     Now,   with  birds  of  passage  this  is  rather 


inconvenient;  yet  the  Empress,  with  all  her  great 
qualities,  has  this  rage  ^^pour  les  modes,''  She  has 
made  it  a  point  of  court  etiquette,  to  the  no  small  an- 
noyance (I  believe)  of  several  of  the  old  ladies  and 
mammas. 

When  the  concert  was  finished,  and  the  Emperor's 
whist  party  broke  up,  round  and  oblong  supper-tables 
were  brought.  No  table-cloths  on  the  table,  but  nap- 
kins on  each  plate,  and  everything  served  round.  I 
was  ordered  to  sit  by  the  Empress.  His  Imperial 
Majesty  came  soon  afterwards,  and  entered  into  ano- 
ther separate  and  long  colloquy  with  me,  and  two  or 
three  common-place  remarks  I  think  I  may  insert. 
Before  his  Imperial  Majesty  ceased  the  conversa- 
tion, I  led  it  to  his  own  dominions.  I  asked  how 
it  was  possible,  with  all  his  splendid  institutions  and 
the  immense  expense  of  his  army,  to  manage  his 
financial  system,  and  to  preserve,  in  every  part  of  the 
interior,  so  much  apparent  content,  without  poverty  or 
mendicity.  He  replied,  he  had  the  good  fortune  to 
possess  the  very  best  finance  and  war  ministers,  and 
they  took  a  great  deal  of  trouble  off  his  hands ;  but  yet 
he  tried  to  look  to  everything  himself.  He  then 
alluded  to  his  having  been  displeased  with  the  move- 
ments of  some  of  the  battalions  of  the  Guards  at  the 
infantry  review.  I  saw  him  indeed  ride  up  singly  to 
these  corps,  and  I  conclude  animadverted  sharply  and 
seriously ;  for  when  he  returned  to  the  assemblage  of 
general  staff-ofiicers,  he  dismissed  the  strangers  and 
the  regiments  who  had  exercised  well,  but,  retaining  the 
others,  he  made  them  perform  all  the  manoeuvres  again. 


-^ 


20G 


CONVERSATION    WITH    THE    EMPEROR. 


"  As  to  poverty  and  mendicity,"  the  Emperor  continued, 
"  we  have,  alas !  much  of  the  former,  but  my  laws  are 
very  severe  against  vagabondism.  The  public  works 
employ  multitudes,  and  we  ought  not  to  liave  beggary." 
In  expressing  my  admiration  of  his  splendid  palaces, 
I  observed,  his  English  cottage  retreat  at  Peterhoff, 
for  its  simplicity  and  perfection,  struck  me  with  ex- 
cessive delight.  He  replied,  "  Yes,  it  is  when  I  get 
there,  just  with  my  family,  (for  it  holds  no  more,)  that 
I  am  really  happy.  I  wish,  however,  the  season  liad 
permitted  me  to  show  you  Cronstadt." 

The  Emperor  then  said  that  his  brother,  tlie  Grand 
Duke  Michael,  was  going  to  England,  that  he  envied 
him  exceedingly  the  journey,  and  would  give  much 
to  see  that  country  again.  Some  remark  of  the  Em- 
press, who  sat  on  the  other  side,  and  the  Emperor's 
moving,  concluded  tlie  conversation,  and  the  Imperial 
family  shortly  retired.  Prince  Volkouski  coming  to 
inform  me  that  his  Imperial  Majesty  expected  me  at 
la  messe  and  the  parade  in  the  morning. 

The  following  day  was  most  unfavourable,  the 
ground  being  covered  with  snow.  At  eleven  o'clock 
we  went  to  the  Imperial  chapel,  a  door  of  our  apart- 
ment opening  into  it.  It  is  gorgeously  painted  and 
gilded,  and  was  lighted  up  for  the  mass,  with  the 
priests  in  robes  of  green  and  gold,  and  a  very  nume- 
rous choir  of  singers,  which  produced  a  most  solemn 
and  impressive  effect. 

The  Imperial  family  take  their  places  on  one  side, 
performing  their  devotions  and  continual  reverences 
and  signs  of  the  cross,  wliile  all  the  ladies  of  the  court 


II 


Ml 


iili: 


HIGH    MASS. 


207 


are  ranged  behind  them,  absorbed  in  similar  de- 
monstrations of  prayer  ;  the  first  offices  for  the  state 
and  the  army  are,  in  like  manner,  placed  in  line 
over  against  them.  "  The  pealing  anthem  and  the 
notes  of  praise"  resound,  while  the  high  priest  dis- 
penses, on  all  sides,  the  frankincense  from  the  beauti- 
ful silver  tripods  which  are  used  for  this  ceremony. 
Unquestionably,  nothing  can  be  more  imposing  than 
the  rites  of  the  Greek  church.  At  the  conclusion  of 
la  ruesse,  I  was  directed  to  attend  the  Emperor  in  his 
own  carriage,  as  he  wished  to  drive  me  to  the  great 
riding-school,  where  he  had  appointed  the  parade. 


If 


'p^ssmmm 


208 


THE    EMPEllOU. 


MAUKED    COMPLIMENT. 


209 


:     4^ 

tl 

<   1 

I 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Emperor — Marked  Compliment— Salutation  and  Reply — 
Royal  Dinner — Peculiar  Arrangement— Russian  Climate — Go- 
vernment Establishments  — L'Etat  Major — Quarter  Master  Ge- 
neraVs  Department — New  Invention. 

I  FELT,  when  I  got  into  a  low  phaeton-droschka,  with 
a  long  bearded  coachman  and  two  little  black  horses, 
and  alone  with  this  extraordinary  monarch,  who  has  the 
fate  of  so  many  millions  of  people  depending  on  his 
nod,  that  my  position  was  interesting  and  curious.  I 
examined  his  fine  countenance  with  the  greatest  in- 
quisitiveness.  His  eye,  like  Napoleon's  or  the  Duke  of 
Wellington's,  is  the  most  striking  feature  in  his  coun- 
tenance ;  it  is  very  large,  expressive,  and  command- 
ing ;  his  nose  is  long  and  Grecian  ;  indeed,  if  there  be 
a  fault  in  the  visage,  it  is,  as  a  whole,  rather  too  long  ; 
his  forehead  is  very  high,  and,  although  not  more  than 
forty,  he  has  not  much  hair.  He  wears  short  musta- 
chios,  his  teeth  are  somewhat  irregular,  and  there  is 
not  that  sweet  expression  about  his  mouth  which 
greatly  characterised  the  Emperor  Alexander's  smile 
and  greeting.  But  Nicholas  speaks  from  his  eye  alone, 
while  his  brother  brought  the  auxiliary  features  into 


action.  Nicholas,  in  height,  is  six  feet  two  or  three, 
rather  slenderly  made,  but  his  carriage  and  demean- 
our are  so  high-born  and  lofty,  that  there  is  no  doubt, 
if  he  were  in  the  vulgar  crowd  of  his  millions  of  sub- 
jects, you  would  point  him  out,  from  appearance,  as 
the  mortal  who  should  be  placed  at  their  head.  His 
manner  is  brusque  at  times,  but  of  high  bearing ;  in 
public  and  before  his  troops  much  more  so  than  on 
ordinary  occasions  and  in  private  :  I  should  say  that 
he  had  a  character  to  assume  outwardly  which  is  not 
inherent  in  his  nature.  There  can,  however,  exist  no 
doubt  that,  both  as  to  physical  and  moral  endowments, 
he  is  a  wonderfully  clever  man,  and  worthy  of  the 
high  destinies  which  he  is  called  on  to  fulfil.  In  our 
way  to  the  parade  he  pointed  out  to  me  the  magical 
manner  in  which  a  town,  in  obedience  to  his  simple 
wish,  had  been  created  in  a  year  around  Czarskoeselo, 
observing  it  was  a  proof  how  anxious  his  subjects  were 
to  comply  with  his  wislies. 

We  arrived  at  the  immense  riding-school ;  the  parade 
was  formed,  the  guards  marched  off,  the  parole  and 
countersign  were  given  ;  and  here,  I  understand,  a  very 
marked  compliment  was  paid  rtie,  by  the  Emperor  send- 
ing the  oflScer  of  the  day  to  give  me  the  countersign. 
This  is  seldom  done  but  to  princes,  or  occasionally  to 
fiivourite  ambassadors.  The  Emperor  then  ordered 
six  orderlies  from  each  regiment  of  cavalry  to  enter  the 
manege.  With  his  own  voice,  and  under  his  own  direc- 
tions, he  made  them  go  through  all  the  riding-house 
drill  in  the  most  perfect  manner  imaginable,  asking  me 
repeatedly,  "  Comment  fetois  content^     Now,  it  might 


i 


210 


SALUTATION    AND    IIKPLY. 


IIOYAL    DINNER. 


211 


be,  these  were  picked  men,  and  paraded  for  tlie  occa- 
sion ;  and  I  told  him  at  once  that  these  cavalry  sol- 
diers were,  in  my  opinion,  complete  instructors  and 
riding-masters ;  that  the  mass,  even  of  his  elite  cavalry 
of  the  guard,  could  not  be  drilled  to  the  manage  as 
these  men  appeared  to  be.  He  replied.  La  plupart 
were  nearly  as  good ;  and  that  they  ouglit  all  to  be 
so,  from  the  pains  he  individually  bestowed  on  this 
arm  of  the  service. 

On  returning  to  the  palace,  amongst  a  variety  of 
other  topics,  I  asked  him  if  he  deemed  it  judicious 
still  to  continue  the  salutation  from  the  chief,  and  the 
reply  from  the  troops  in  his  army.     Here  it  will  be 
recollected,  as  before  stated,  that  whenever  the  Em- 
peror meets  soldiers,  and   more  particularly  when  he 
passes  the  line,  or  that  bodies  of  troops  marcli  by  him, 
he  always  cries  out,  "  How  are  you,  my  children  T 
to  which  they  answer  by  acclamation,   "  We  thank 
j^ou,  my  father;"  or  when  he  says,  "  You  have  done 
well,  mes  enfans,''  they  reply,  "  We'll  do  better  next 
time,  father."     Now  I  remarked,  that  if  there  should 
exist  at  any  time  suUenness  or  discontent  in  any  corps 
of  the  army,  these  replies  gave  a  disagreeable  oppor- 
tunity to  express  such  feeling  without  the  discovery 
of  the  individual  uttering  them,  and  tliat  in  the  Eng- 
lish and  Austrian  armies  such  exclamations  from  the 
troops  were  absolutely  forbidden.     The  Emperor  an- 
swered, that  his  army  was  necessarily  more  strictly 
disciplined  than  any  other  in  Europe — that  this  na- 
tional habit  was  of  very  old  origin,  and  in  Russia 
it  would  not  answer  to  abandon  it. 


After  a  tour  de  promenade^  the  Emperor,  showing  me 
the  park,  and  discussing  various  topics,  drove  me  to  my 
apartments,  saying,  "  Au  revoir,  man  cher,  a  diner  J'  At 
four  the  carriages  paraded  to  carry  us  to  dinner:  a 
most  brilliant  assemblage  was  collected  of  about  two 
hundred  persons,  the  women  dressed  in  the  very  extreme 
of  care  and  elegance,  the  officers  of  state  and  the  mili- 
tary  in  uniform,    grand    cordons,  &c.      The   Grand 
Duchess  Helen,    wife  of  the  Grand   Duke    Michael, 
arrived  from  her  palace  four  wersts  off  with  her  suite. 
The  ceremonial  part  of  the  dinner  was  peculiar,  from 
the  circumstance  of  the  ladies  going  out  of  the  room 
first  when  it  was  announced,  and  sitting  all  together ; 
the  men  by  themselves,  with  the  exception  of  the  Em- 
peror, who  sat  between  the  Empress  and  the  French 
ambassadress,  and  the  Caesarowitch,  who  was  beside 
his   mother   and  the    Grand  Duchess    Helen.       The 
table  was  very  narrow,  and  set  out  round  the  room  ; 
the  service  a  la  Russe ;  and  conversation  was  carried 
on  as  much  with  your  opposite  as  your  next  neigh-r 
hour. 

On  rising  from  dinner  the  Imperial  family  retired, 
and  we  were  directed  to  return  at  seven  o'clock.  An 
entirely  new  toilette  was  the  immediate  occupation 
of  the  ladies.  When  we  again  came  to  the  palace 
we  were  shown  into  the  theatre,  where  the  company 
of  French  artistes  from  St.  Petersburgh  acted  two 
pretty  vaudevilles.  From  the  theatre  we  returned 
to  the  saloons,  where  the  orchestra  was  prepared  for 
dancing.     The  Empress  and  the  Caezarowitch  began, 

p  2 


212 


PECULIAR    ARRANGKMENT. 


and  dancing  went  on  without  the  least  form  or  stiff- 
ness till  eleven,  when  small  tables  were  laid  for  supper, 
and  after  supper  dancing  recommenced  and  was  kept 
up  till  two  in  the   morning. 

A  peculiarity  in  tlie  arrangement  of  the  state 
rooms  of  the  palace  here  struck  me.  The  reception 
room  is  in  three  partitions,  but  forming  one  spacious 
saloon  ;  columns  and  evergreens  make  divisions  at  each 
end.  This  whole  space,  however,  is  united  for  every  re- 
quisite purpose.  You  promenade  through  the  centre, 
where  dining  tables  are  preparing,  to  arrive  at  the  end 
division,  where  the  Imperial  family  receive  you.  From 
thence  you  return  to  the  middle  section  of  the  apart- 
ment, where  dinner  is  served,  and  when  the  repast  is 
over,  and  5^ou  retire  into  the  former  space,  a  crowd  of 
servants  instantly  clear  away  the  repast.  After  the 
dance  the  centre  department  is  again  prepared  for 
the  supper,  and,  as  before,  numberless  tables  are 
brought  in.  Supper  in  its  turn  gives  way  for  the 
dance.  Now  all  this  noise  and  bustle,  and  pushing 
and  jostling,  though  it  entirely  banishes  form,  does 
not  accord  with  methodical  English  arrangement. 
When  there  is  such  a  multitude  of  rooms  in 
these  spacious  palaces,  a  saloon  might  be  selected 
and  appropriated  for  each  purpose ;  it  is  singular  to 
witness  the  almost  studied  simplicity  by  which  all  the 
details  of  an  Imperial  fete  are  carried  on  in  one 
large  space,  the  Montagues  Russes  being  erected  in 
the  anteroom  for  the  amusement  of  the  nursery  and 
its  idlers.  The  Empress  danced  the  whole  evening  ; 
the   Emperor   walked    about,    conversing    with    the 


RUSSIAN    CLIMATE. 


213 


utmost  familiarity  with  all,  and  the  evening  con- 
cluded with  one  of  those  Russian-German  cotillons 
that  appeared  to  me  always  whirl  without  end. 

On  leaving  Czarskoeselo  the  following  morning, 
I  could  pot  forbear  reflecting  on  tlie  wonderful  bless- 
ings of  Divine  Providence  on  this  Imperial  family,  on 
which  was  bestowed  a  degree  of  moral  perfection, 
and  physical  grace  and  beauty,  such  as  1  had  never 
before  contemplated.  I  returned  to  our  quarters  in 
the  capital,  which  were  now  changed  from  the  Lon- 
don Hotel  to  the  Golowchen  House.  It  was  a  small, 
confined,  and  bad  lodging,  although  recommended 
to  us  by  a  kind  friend,  and  much  had  been  done  to 
make  it  as  comfortable  as  possible.  My  family  were 
all  here  unfortunately  attacked  with  fever.  It  is 
difficult  to  describe  the  eflfects  of  the  weather  and 
climate  of  St.  Petersburgh,  at  this  period  of  the  year, 
upon  those  who  are  not  accustomed  to  them. 
Fortified  by  a  long  residence,  or  by  birth,  on  the  spot, 
the  constitution  may  be  rendered  inaccessible  to 
attacks  of  this  description ;  but  I  feel  persuaded 
that  no  Englishman  can  go  to  Russia  without  passino- 
through  the  ordeal  of  more  or  less  of  that  sort  of 
severe  illness  with  which  my  family  were  now  visited. 
To  young  persons,  especially  females,  I  believe  no- 
thing can  be  more  trying  than  the  tenqjerature  at  this 
season.  There  is  a  dry,  bleak  wind,  blowing  from 
the  boundless  plains  and  tracts  of  the  interior,  which 
is  met  at  Petersburgh  by  the  raw,  damp,  breeze  of 
the  Gulf  of  Finland,  and  the  heavy  dews  of  the 
Neva;  and    the   unhealthy   ingredients   of  these   ele- 


214 


GOVERNMENT    ESTABLISHMENTS. 


L  ETAT    MAJOU. 


2J5 


ments,  thus  mixing  in  the  wide  streets  of  St.  Peters- 
burgh,  form  an  atmosphere  more  disagreeable  and 
unbearable  than  can  be  experienced  elsewhere. 

But  to  return  to  my  occupations.  So  soon  as  I  was 
able  to  sally  forth,  I  commenced  an  inspection  of  the 
government  establishments,  the  most  conspicuous  of 
which  are  as  follows : 

1st.  L'etat  major  de  sa  Majeste  Imperiale. 
2nd.  Le  depot  hydrographique  del  etat  major  de 
la  marine. 

3rd.  L'equipage  d'instruction  des  ouvriers  de  la 
marine. 

4th.  Le  corps  des  cadets. 
5th.  Le  corps  des  cadets  de  la  marine. 
6th.  L'ecole  de  Tartillerie. 
7th.  L'ecole  de  genie. 

8th.  L'ecole  des  postes  enseignes  de  la  garde. 
9th.  L'ecole  des  mines. 
10th.  L'institut  des  ponts  et  chaussees. 
1  Ith.  Le  cataillon  des  cantonistes  militaires. 
12th.  La  monnaie. 
13th.  L'arsenal  et  la  fonderie. 
14th.  Le  ministere  de  la  guerre. 
15th.  L'ecole  d'equitation. 

The  minister  of  war  sent  his  aide-de-camp  to  me 
with  a  list  of  the  above  military  establishments  and 
institutions,  which  he  was  desirous  I  should  see,  and 
pass  my  opinion  upon,  during  my  residence  in 
Russia. 


l'kTAT     major     DE      SA       MAJESTE      IMPERIALE — THE 
ADJUTANT    general's    DEPARTMENT. 

This  is  an  immense  semicircular  building,  facing 
the  Hermitage  and  Winter  Palace,  and  encircling 
111  part  the  pillar  of  the  Emperor  Alexander. 

All  the  officers  of  the  department  were  in  attend- 
ance ;  General  Schubert,  acting  quartermaster-general, 
and  one  of  the  most  dii^tinguished  officers  in  the 
army,  was  there  to  receive  me. 

The  etat  major  (as  at  the  Horse  Guards)  is  divided 
into  two  departments,  those  of  the  quartermaster-gene- 
ral's and  adjutant-general's:  the  business  is  separated 
and  arranged  accordingly. 

In  the  series  of  rooms  through  which  I  first  passed, 
as  belonging  to  the  adjutant-general,  I  saw  a  number 
of  young  men,  all  soldiers  or  officers,  or  sons  of 
officers  ;  I  should  average  the  number  at  three  or 
four  hundred.  All  these  are  clerks,  and  brought  up 
for  the  writing  details  of  the  department.  They  are 
lodged,  fed,  and  clothed  at  the  public  expense ; 
their  uniform  is  that  of  the  general  staff*.  I  went 
through  their  dormitory,  saw  the  preparation  for 
their  dinners,  and  inspected  their  arms,  clothing,  and 
accoutrements,  which  were  all  in  accurate  order, 
in  rooms  adjoining  those  where  they  slept. 

It  will  at  once  occur  to  military  men  how  superior 
an  arrangement  of  this  sort  is  to  that  of  employing 
clerks   under   no   similar   discipline.      These   young 


216 


L  ETAT    MAJOR. 


men  are  easily  drilled  into  strict  obedience  to  the 
duties  required  of  them  ;  all  their  wants  are  supplied, 
their  promotion  depends  on  their  merit,  and 
they  are  looking  forward  constantly  for  advance- 
ment in  the  profession  of  which  they  know  all  the 
details.  Besides  these  evident  advantages,  an  esta- 
blishment thus  conducted  can  send  officers  or  em- 
ployes to  any  divisions  or  parts  of  the  army,  to 
afford  to  detached  corps  the  advantage  of  having 
their  section  of  the  quarter  master-general  or  the 
adjutant-general's  department  upon  the  precise 
plan  of  that  at  head-quarters.  This  branch  of 
the  etat  major  is  entrusted  with  all  the  interior  and 
exterior  discipline,  the  enlistments,  discharges,  leaves 
of  absence,  the  general  orders,  and,  in  short,  every 
duty  of  the  adjutant-general  in  the  British  service, 
on  the  increased  scale  of  an  army  of  500,000  men, 
as  compared  with  one  of  120,000.  The  young  men 
wore  in  general  looking  healthy,  although  their  work 
occupies  them  about  ten  hours  a  day,  so  that,  includ- 
ing their  meals,  they  have  little  time  for  recreation. 
1  think  I  passed  through  ten  or  twelve  large  rooms 
containing  capacious  presses,  lined  with  green  silk, 
in  which  the  papers  and  documents  of  this  immense 
office  are  preserved  and  duly  registered.  In  two  or 
three  of  the  rooms  I  saw  small  printing  presses,  to 
verify,  by  stamping  dates,  the  orders  that  are  pro- 
mulgated. But  the  general  printing  establishment 
of  the  entire  department  forms  a  range  of  apartments 
below  stairs,  and  is  upon  a  very  great  scale. 

There  is  no  army  list  published  in  Russia  ;  the  Em- 


QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL  S    DEPARTMENT. 


217 


pcror  and  different  general  and  staff  officers  have  this 
information,  but  it  is  not  to  be  got  at  generally. 
Only  the  names  of  colonels  and  field  officers  of  the 
corps  are  put  down  ;  were  those  of  the  captains  and 
subalterns  to  be  printed,  it  would  be  nearly  the  same 
as  printing  in  our  army-list  the  names  of  the  pri- 
vates. 


QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL  S    DEPARTMENT. 


From  the  department  of  the  adjutant-general. 
General  Schubert  conducted  me  through  that  of  the 
quartermaster-general.  The  movements  of  troops,  the 
routes  of  the  army,  the  topographical  drawings,  the 
engraving,  the  science  of  taking  up  ground  and  posi- 
tions, and  finally  everything  relating  to  this  branch  of 
the  military  service,  seemed  here  to  be  carried  to  the 
greatest  perfection.  In  various  rooms  the  young 
officers  and  men,  who  are  fed,  clothed,  and  boarded 
free  of  expense,  (as  in  the  case  of  the  clerks  of  the 
adjutant- general's  office,)  were  engaged  in  military 
drawings,  and  under  the  long  tables  at  which 
they  were  occupied  were  large  drawers  and  shelves, 
containing  all  sorts  of  maps,  plans,  and  surveys. 

Adjoining  these  rooms  were  others,  having  cases 
full  of  mathematical  and  surveying  instruments ; 
and,  again,  next  to  these  compartments,  were 
shops  with  forges  and  materials,  out  of  which  the 
young  men  above  mentioned  make  the  instruments 
and  mechanical    implements    they    use    or   can    re- 


218      quartermaster-general's  department. 


m 


quire.  It  is  singular,  and  I  believe  unparalleled, 
to  see  in  such  an  establishment,  not  only  the  perfec- 
tion with  which  the  arrangement  for  military  instruc- 
tions is  organised,  but  to  travel  with  it  from  its  very 
origin,  as  it  were,  to  its  completion. 

Not  only  military  drawing,  but  mathematics,  na- 
tural   philosophy,    theology,    electricity,    astronomy, 
and  geology,  are  studied  here.     I  ascended  into  the 
observatory,  which  is  at  the  top  of  the  chancellerie, 
whence    I    had    an  admirable    view    of    St.    Peters- 
burgh.     Accurate  surveys  and  maps  are  now  making 
of  all  the  provinces  of  Russia  ;  engineer  officers  are 
employed   in   each   separate   district,  who  send  their 
surveys  and  drawings  to  head-quarters,  where  they 
are  all    brought   into    one    large    scale.     Not    only 
are    the    military    maps    of    the    Russian    provinces 
designed  with  the  greatest   care,    but   in   this  office 
are    also     arranged,     methodically    and    alphabeti- 
cally, the  best  charts  and  maps  of  every  country  in 
Europe,  and,  indeed,  of  every  known  tract  of  land  in 
the  world.     A  certain  number  of  staff  officers  have 
been  especially  employed,  since  1813,  in  bringing  to- 
gether maps  of  all  those  parts  of  Europe  where  battles 
or  memorable  attacks  took  place  during  the  last  wars 
with  France.     This  work,  when  completed,  will  be 
most  interesting,  as  it  is  carried  on  with  the  greatest 
precision.     One   superior  advantage  of  the  scale  of 
this  establishment  arises  from  their  supplying  the  divi- 
sion and  general  officer,  immediately  that  he  is  placed 
in  a  command,  with  military  maps  for  his  own  use,  of 
the  country  where  he  is  cantoned,  or  where  he  may 


new  invention. 


219 


be  directed  to  march.  In  like  manner,  sets  of  instru- 
ments and  other  necessary  materials  are  furnished  to 
his  staff  officers.  In  the  English  service,  we  unfor- 
tunately know,  that  it  depends  on  the  inclination  of  a 
general  or  staff  officer  whether  he  chooses  or  not  to 
furnish  himself  with  such  indispensable  requisites.  It 
is  with  reluctance  that  I  offer  this  contrast  to  the  par- 
simony with  which  British  staff  arrangements  are  con- 
ducted. 

The  painting  and  lithographic  departments  are 
on  a  scale  that  deserves  notice.  I  saw  here,  for 
the  first  time,  a  new  graphic  invention  carried  into 
effect  on  a  sheet  of  tin,  in  lieu  of  drawing  on 
stone.  This  was  invented  in  Prussia,  and  is  now 
established  in  all  the  offices  in  that  country  and  in 
Russia.  It  is  a  beautiful  invention,  and  the  execution 
is  accomplished  with  nearly  as  much  rapidity  as  you 
can  write,  so  that  hundreds  of  copies  can  be  struck  off, 
from  the  most  lengthy  document,  in  a  few  minutes. 

I  am  not  sure  whether  this  invention  has  reached 
England ;  but  it  appears  to  me,  that  for  rapid  mul- 
tiplication, it  surpasses  anything  that  has  ever  yet 
been  invented. 

I  went  afterwards  into  the  arched  cellars  or 
iron-cased  rooms,  where  the  archives  of  theetat  major 
for  the  last  ten  years  are  arranged.  Beyond  that 
period,  they  are  not  kept  in  St.  Petersburgh,  but  trans- 
ported to  Moscow.  The  papers  are  divided  into  the 
four  different  quarters  of  each  year,  placed  alpha- 
betically.     They    are    kept    in    cartoons    of  paper, 


i 


220 


ROYAL    BUSTS    AND    POIITIIAITS. 


MILITARY    DRAWINGS. 


221 


made  very  hard  and  thick  outside,  all  lettered  and 
numbered  with  exactness.  The  large  circular 
library  or  general  meeting-room  of  the  etat  major 
is  adjoining.  A  portrait  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas 
on  horseback,  as  large  as  life,  decorates  this  fine 
saloon.  A  bust  of  Peter  the  Great  on  a  marble 
pedestal,  being  exactly  the  height  of  the  monarch, 
stands  in  the  front  of  the  room  ;  and  under  the  bust 
there  is  a  glass  case,  in  which  is  enclosed  a  red 
velvet  and  gilt-covered  pocket-book,  containing  the 
first  code  militaire  of  the  Russian  army,  signed  by 
Peter  the  Great.  In  every  public  institution  or 
establishment  throughout  this  vast  empire,  there  is  a 
studied  effort  to  preserve  the  memory  and  the  features 
of  their  great  founders,  and,  as  it  were,  to  have  tlieiii 
equally  in  the  hours  of  business  or  recreation  before 
the  sight.  The  busts,  portraits,  and  casts  of  Cathe- 
rine, Peter,  and  Nicholas  are  so  numerous,  that  you 
can  scarcely  go  into  a  public  place  or  oflftcial  residence 
without  seeing  one  or  all. 

General  Schubert,  at  the  close  of  as  strict  an  exa- 
mination of  his  department  in  all  its  branches  as  the 
cursory  time  allowed,  said  he  was  directed  by  the 
minister  of  war  to  ofi'er  me,  in  liis  name,  an  exeni- 
plaire  of  all  the  best  engravings  and  maps  which  they 
had  completed  of  late  in  the  bureau,  and  which  his 
excellency  hoped  were  worthy  of  my  acceptance.  He 
then  sliowed  me  some  fine  prints  of  the  Emperor,  the 
Caesarowitch,  the  most  eminent  generals,  a  very  laroe 
plan  of  St.  Petersburgh,  tlie  plans  of  the  cemetery 


around,  together  with  some  other  military  drawings 
which  the  General  ordered  to  be  carried  down  and 
placed  in  my  carriage.  I  offer  the  above  as  very 
imperfect  memoranda  of  my  first  visit  to  this  establish- 
ment. 


'•miiit  r^ 


CADET    ESTABLISHMENT. 


I 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Cadet  Establishment — The  Students — Course  of  Education — Tlie 
Dining  Room — The  Medical  Department — Noble  Cadets— Ma- 
rine Cadets — UEcole  de  Genie — Engineers'  Department — 
Riding  School— School  of  Artillery — Civil  Engineering — The 
Arsenals— Relics  of  Alexander — School  of  Artillery— College 
for  young  Officers. 


CORPS  DES  CADETS  DE  L  AMIRAUTE. 

The  same  aide-de-camp  of  the  minister  of  war  pro- 
ceeded with  me  to  the  Corps  des  Cadets,  consisting  of 
boys  between  the  ages  of  eight  and  eighteen,  the  sons 
or  orphans  of  soldiers,  or  of  persons  of  inferior  class  of 
life.  This  establishment  has  its  spacious  apartments 
in  the  Admiralty.  It  consists  of  between  five  and  six 
hundred  Hhves,  divided  into  four  companies  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  each,  with  a  company  called  "  Les 
Jeunes."  The  four  companies  are  separated  again 
into  four  divisions,  or  squads ;  there  are  four  officers 
and  a  captain  of  the  line  to  each  company,  of  which 
there  is  one  of  grenadiers  and  another  of  chasseurs.  In 
describing  an  inspection  of  this  cadet  establishment, 
after  the  preparation  made  by  superior  direction  pre- 


CADET    ESTABLISHMENT. 


223 


viously  to  a  review  of  the  whole,  I  may  be  somewhat 
prolix,  but  one  detail  will  do  for  every  similar  institu- 
tion in  Petersburgh,  Moscow,  and  throughout  the 
Russian  empire. 

An  individual  of  rank  visiting  the  establishment 
is  always  met  at  the  door  by  the  commandant  and  all 
its  other  officers.  After  the  customary  obeisances,  he  is 
generally  conducted,  in  the  first  instance,  to  the  rooms 
wliich  they  call  les  classes.  The  wide  staircases  and 
corridors  leading  to  them  are  strongly  perfumed  by 
frankincense  or  other  burning  scents  peculiar  to  Russia. 
The  boards  in  these  passages,  &c.,  cannot  escape 
observation ;  they  are  so  clean  that  dinner  might  be 
served  on  them.  Where  there  are  no  parquets,  (which, 
liowever,  are  very  general,)  the  deals  or  oaks  are 
painted  to  resemble  it,  and  being  constantly  washed, 
they  dry  sooner  than  when  not  painted.  In  the 
middle  of  the  corridors  is  generally  a  broad  bit  of 
carpet  for  a  gangway,  which  is  laid  also  through  the 
middle  or  sides  of  the  room,  as  the  passage  through  it 
may  be. 

On  entering  the  class-rooms,  you  perceive  fifteen  or 
sixteen  long  desks  and  benches  placed  as  columns  of 
companies  ;  and  at  the  head  of  the  room,  in  a  compart- 
ment for  the  instructor,  the  elhe  is  called  up  for  ex- 
amination, bringing  in  his  hand  a  very  large  slate  in 
a  frame. 

If  your  visit  is  paid  at  an  hour  when  the  cadets  are 
in  their  classes,  on  entering,  the  boys  spring  up  and 
are  motionless  as  on  parade  during  your  stay ;  their 
books,  writing,  drawing,  slates,  &c.,  lie  before   them 


224 


THE    STUDENTS. 


just  as  they  were  employed  when  you  entered.  Every 
Sieve  is  dressed  in  green  uniform  and  trousers,  hair 
cut  very  short  and  round,  precisely  alike ;  their  clothes 
fit  admirably ;  their  demeanour  is  perfectly  military 
even  at  this  early  age,  and  in  fact  you  see  the  small 
models  of  battalions  before  you.  Having  examined 
the  books,  or  asked  questions  of  the  young  lads,  which 
you  are  expected  to  do,  the  instructor  makes  an  eleve 
come  from  the  desk,  and  approacliing  the  slate  above 
described,  gives  him  a  problem  in  Euclid,  a  sum  to 
work  in  arithmetic,  or  some  other  task,  as  an  exhi- 
bition of  his  studies,  in  the  accomplishment  of  which 
the  spectator  feels  naturally  interested. 

In  this  manner  you  pass  the  classes  in  review, 
and  while  you  are  going  to  visit  their  dormitory,  the 
eleves  are  sent  generally  to  prepare  to  meet  you  again 
at  their  dinner.  The  dormitories  are  large  and  long 
apartments,  having  generally  two  lines  of  small  iron 
bedsteads  down  the  sides,  and  a  double  row  of  beds  in 
the  centre  of  the  room  placed  back  to  back  ;  you  are 
enabled  thus  to  walk  along  each  line.  Every  bed  has 
a  hard  mattress,  a  coverlid,  one  sheet,  rarely  two, 
and  a  hard  and  large  pillow.  These  are  changed 
three  times  a  week,  as  well  as  all  the  linen,  and 
great  attention  is  paid  to  cleanliness.  The  covering  of 
the  iron  bedstead  and  the  coverlid  are  equally  renewed, 
so  that  nothing  can  look  whiter  or  cleaner  than 
these  beds.  On  an  oval  board  over  each  bed  is  painted 
the  name  of  the  boy  who  occupies  it ;  his  cap  (a  fo- 
raging cap)  is  hung  by  it.  Before  every  bed  is  a 
small  table  de  nuit,  and  between  each  is  a  double  desk, 


COURSE    OF    EDUCATION. 


2-25 


where  books  and  such  other  necessaries  as  are  actually 
in  use  are  kept.  The  exactness  of  these  rooms  can 
only  be  compared  to  that  of  the  strictest  barrack-room 
in  England,  and  my  opinion  is,  that  the  latter  would 
lose  much  by  the  comparison. 

At  the  end  of  the  rooms  is  a  gallery  or  ante- 
room, where  a  large  brass  reservoir  and  basin  are 
established.  This  is  for  the  morning  and  evening 
ablutions  of  the  boys ;  presses  are  placed  round  which 
hold  their  towels,  marked  with  numbers.  For  the 
service  of  these  elhes  and  rooms,  there  are  a  cer- 
tain number  of  under-officers  and  soldiers.  Next  to 
the  washing  rooms  are  the  apartments  in  which  the 
accoutrements  and  arms  are  arranged,  such  as  their 
caps,  belts,  swords,  bayonets,  carbines,  &c. ;  and  ad- 
joining is  another  closet,  where  clean  linen,  shirts, 
sheets,  pillow-cases,  &c.,  are  in  reserve.  The  place 
for  recreation  is  next  visited  ;  this  is  very  spacious, 
and  here  are  ladders,  ropes,  poles,  and  all  the  et 
cetera  for  gymnastic  exercises;  there  are  likewise 
small  field-pieces  to  exercise  the  students  in  their 
management ;  dancing,  fencing,  and  the  broad-sword 
exercise,  are  also  taught,  and  of  the  former  a  great 
point  is  made.  German,  French,  and  Russian  tactics, 
mathematics,  arithmetic,  algebra,  and  drawing,  are 
the  main  studies.  There  is  no  instruction  in  English 
in  any  of  the  institutions,  except  in  that  of  the  cadets 
de  la  marine. 

There  are  of  course  particular  studies  applicable  to 
the  especial  nature  of  the  institution,  but  I  have  stated 
the  general  course  of  education  in  them  all. 

Q 


•.? 


226 


THE    DINING    ROOM. 


Having  made  the  foregoing  inspections,  you  are  next 
conducted  to  the  dining-room.  Numerous  tables  are 
laid  out,  by  classes,  covered  with  the  whitest  linen,  and 
bright  pewter  dishes  and  plates.  On  every  pk  te  there 
is  a  napkin,  and  in  every  napkin  a  white  roll  and  a 
large  slice  of  black  bread.  At  certain  distances  are 
bottles  of  quash,  which  is  the  common  liquor  of  the 
country,  of  which  I  believe  you  may  drink  a  hogshead 
without  its  affecting  your  head,  although  it  may 
be  otherwise  prejudicial.  It  is  manufactured  from 
corn,  and  looks  like  thick  brown  beer. 

At  the  sound  of  a  drum,  the  students  enter  in  file,  and 
march  in,  breaking  off  when  opposite  to  their  several 
tables,  the  Hhve  de  service,  as  he  is  styled,  sitting  at  the 
head  of  each  table,  comprising  the  class  or  peloton  of 
the  class,  according  to  the  size  of  the  table.  When 
all  arrive  opposite  their  respective  places,  tliey  turn  to- 
wards the  image  that  is  placed  at  the  head  of  the  room, 
and  those  who  are  instructed,  and  have  musical  voices, 
sing  the  Non  nobis,  Domine ;  while  the  others,  by 
their  reverences,  prostrations,  and  signs  of  the  cross, 
show  they  are  occupied  for  five  or  six  minutes  in  their 
devotions  before  their  repast.  The  grace  being  sung,  at 
a  single  tap  of  the  drum  the  students  seat  themselves, 
and  the  dinner  proceeds.  The  next  room,  adjoining 
the  dinner  saloon,  is  the  pantry  from  which  things 
are  served  by  a  suflScient  number  of  common  soldiers 
who  are  in  attendance.  You  then  go  to  the  kitchen, 
and  here  half  a  dozen  Russian  cooks  in  jackets  produce 
to  you  on  a  broad  table  or  sideboard  a  specimen  of 
the  broth  or  soup,  beef,  vegetables,  and  pudding,  that 


4 


THE    MEDICAL    DEPARTMENT. 


227 


is  prepared  for  the  students.  You  are  invited  to  taste 
these  diflferent  dishes,  being  assured  it  is  the  invariable 
practice  of  the  Emperor  at  his  Iiuperial  Majesty's 
inspections.  Your  visit  is  then  to  the  hospital  and 
medical  department  of  the  institution,  and  the  dormi- 
tory and  rooms  are  kept  precisely  as  the  great 
apartments,  and,  if  possible,  cleaner.  High  screens, 
placed  where  necessary,  separate  patients ;  and  I  must 
say  that  every  possible  convenience,  and  even  luxury, 
that  the  sick  can  require,  is  afforded  them.  I  never 
witnessed  so  much  attention  to  the  comforts  of  the 
sick  as  in  this  department.  A  pharmacy  is  also' 
attached  to  the  hospital,  and  a  large  room  with  surgi- 
cal instruments.  A  medical  officer  is  on  duty  here 
day  and  night. 

This  is  a  general  outline  of  the  corps  des  cadets  in- 
stitution, and  allowing  for  such  difference  of  instruc- 
tion as  the  several  services  may  require,  I  believe  it 
will  be  found  nearly  applicable  to  all  on  the  same 
plan;  nor  can  there  be  much  diflference,  when  dis- 
cipline, order,  and  cleanliness,  form  the  basis  of  all. 
Let  it  also  be  remembered  that  education  is  thus  given 
at  the  expense  of  the  government  to  the  children  of 
the  nobility,  the  army,  and  navy,  and  to  those  of  the 
common  artisan  alike;  and  when  one  considers  the 
scale  upon  which  these  foundations  are  formed,  the 
numerous  able  oflicers  and  highly  instructed  men 
they  must  turn  out  every  year  for  the  military, 
naval,  and  civil  establishments,  it  is  impossible 
not  to  admire  the  greatness  of  mind  that  has  con- 
ceived such  magnificent  organisation,  and  the  vigour 

q2 


i 


il 


228 


NOBLE    CADETS. 


and  perseverance  that  have  brought  tliem  into  sucli 
a  high  state  of  perfection.  These  seminaries  of  free 
education  exist  not  only  in  Petersburgh,  but  also  in 
every  important  city  of  this  great  empire. 


CORPS  DES  CADETS  DES  NOBLES. 


The  Corps  des  Cadets  last  described  consists  of  the 
orphans  or  sons  of  soldiers.  The  next  I  visited  was 
composed  of  the  sons  of  the  nobility.  I  did  not  dis- 
cover any  greater  luxury  of  arrangement  or  living, 
but  it  seemed  that  science  and  instruction  were  carried 
to  a  greater  extent  in  this  college.  In  addition  to 
going  through  the  classes  and  the  different  arrange- 
ments as  before  related,  I  was  conducted  to  adjoining 
buildings,  where  I  beheld  smiths'  forges,  carpenters' 
shops,  cabinet-makers'  establishments,  carvers'  and 
gilders'  tables,  braziers'  and  ironmongers'  tools.  In 
all  of  these,  certain  sections  of  the  students  were  work- 
ing and  learning  the  different  trades;  and  I  was 
informed,  that  these  workmen  were  relieved  by  other 
^Ih^es  every  two  or  three  weeks,  so  that  the  whole  are 
trained  to  the  same  sort  of  apprenticeship.  In  the 
workshops  every  article  is  made  that  is  used  in  the 
establishments.  I  remarked  to  my  conductor,  that  I 
doubted  if  much  valuable  time  were  not  lost  in  learn- 
ing trades,  because  these  young  nobles  could,  in  after 
life,  always  procure  or  buy  mechanical  instruments 
and  conveniences.  The  answer  was,  "  True  ;  but  these 
institutions  are   supposed   to   adapt  themselves  to  a 


WOBLE    CADETS. 


229 


rising,  and  not  a  parent,  state.  We  wish  to  suppose 
ourselves  uncivilised,  and,  as  it  were,  in  a  desert, 
where,  with  human  beings  and  faculties  to  profit  by 
models,  books,  and  instructors,  we  want  to  make  each 
as  perfect  in  science  or  knowledge  as  his  neighbour ; 
and  hence  our  system  is  laid  down  as  you  see." 

I  had  a  great  deal  of  conversation  upon  this  and 
other  subjects  with  General  Nockdeans,  who  is  the 
commander  and  director  of  the  cadets  nobles,  and  1 
found  him  a  remarkably  intelligent  and  clever  man. 
I  think  tliere  were  about  six  hundred  and  twenty  sons 
of  noblemen  in  this  college,  all  educated  gratis,  a  little 
taschen  geld,  or  pocket-money,  being  all  that  the  rela- 
tions supply.  From  the  age  of  eight  to  eighteen  the 
youths  are  kept  in  the  seminary,  and  then  placed  in 
the  infantry  or  cavalry,  as  they  please,  or  as  may  best 
suit  them.  I  observed  a  judicious  plan  in  the  rooms 
of  recreation.  One  of  them  is  hung  round  with  short 
detailed  accounts  of  all  the  famous  battles  and  sieges 
of  the  country  in  its  different  wars.  Another  has,  in 
Hke  manner,  the  names  of  all  the  most  distinguished 
Russian  generals,  with  their  services,  so  that  the 
scholars  at  their  play-hours  find  here  ample  topics  for 
conversation  and  curiosity,  and  become  thus  ac- 
quainted, even  at  their  very  games,  with  much  of  the 
history  of  their  country. 


CORPS    DES    CADETS    DE    LA    MARINE. 


My  next  visit  was,  on  the  16th  of  November,  to  the 


!' 


230 


MARINE    CADETS. 


\\ 


Corps  des  Cadets  de  la  Marine,  under  the  direction 
and  command  of  General  Kingenstein.  This  officer  is 
distinguished  for  having  travelled  in  every  part  of  the 
globe,  and  is  in  high  estimation  with  the  Emperor. 
The  institution  is  peculiarly  favoured  by  Nicholas, 
who,  having  devoted  his  mind  and  attention  very 
zealously  to  the  Russian  navy,  has  taken  even  its  in- 
fant offspring  under  his  fostering  care. 

The  general  management  of  the  health,  discipline, 
food,  and  hours,  varies  little  from  that  of  the  Corps 
des  Cadets  des  Nobles.  Nevertheless,  it  certainly 
struck  me  that  all  the  minutiae  were  upon  a  more 
luxurious  plan  than  at  the  other  places.  Here  is  a 
very  large  museum  for  every  kind  of  model  or  mode 
of  construction  for  vessels,  with  everything  belonging 
thereto,  and  an  extensive  library  for  nautical  science. 
In  one  spacious  room  there  is  a  complete  small  frigate 
which  has  been  constructed  by  the  el(ives.  In  this 
the  younger  class  are  exercised  in  all  the  different 
working  of  the  sails,  rigging,  &c.,  as  if  they  were  on 
board  a  vessel  of  war  at  sea.  The  building:  where  the 
marine  corps  are  lodged  is  close  to  the  quay,  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Neva.  There  are  three  large 
frigates  stationed  here,  on  board  of  which  the  whole 
of  the  cadets  repair  in  the  summer  months,  and  pro- 
ceed to  the  Gulf  of  Finland  with  experienced  officers 
and  a  certain  number  of  able  seamen.  By  this 
plan  they  have,  at  tlie  earliest  age,  every  possible 
instruction  in  the  management  of  ships.  The  elhe 
is  required  to  know  systematically  and  scientifically 
every  bolt,  spar,  or  plank  in   tlie  frame  of  a  ship  of 


L  ECOLE    DE    GENIE 


231 


war.  For  this  purpose  the  young  corps  of  future  sea- 
men are  now  themselves  building  a  very  large  ship, 
which  is  to  be  completed  in  the  present  year.  When 
I  inquired  if  it  were  necessary  for  each  to  be  a  good 
shipwright,  the  answer  was,  that  Captain  Symonds 
was  a  good  shipwright,  and  so  ought  to  be  every 
Russian  sailor. 

The  English  language  is  taught  here,  it  being  sup- 
posed necessary  to  the  marine  service.  It  was  rather 
curious  that,  in  all  the  corridors  and  passages,  instead 
of  the  usual  smell  of  incense,  there  were  barrels  and 
small  reservoirs  of  tar,  to  accustom  the  boys  (I  pre- 
sume) to  its  delightful  fragrance.  The  various  designs 
and  nautical  drawings,  &c.,  exhibited  as  done  by  the 
Slhes,  impressed  me  (ignorant  as  I  am  on  this  subject) 
with  a  great  idea  of  the  perfection  which  is  established  ; 
and  I  should  not  think  it  inferior  to  any  other  insti- 
tution of  naval  instruction  in  Europe. 


M 


L  ECOLE    DE    GENIE. 


Next  came  L'Ecole  de  Genie.  This  occupies  the  large 
palace  that  was  built  by  the  Emperor  Paul.  Its  gigan- 
tic proportions,  its  enormous  flight  of  steps,  its  grand 
staircase,  the  architraves  and  casing  of  the  doors,  and 
the  spacious  dimensions  of  the  rooms,  denote  what  gor- 
geous magnificence  must  have  been  displayed  formerly 
within  this  edifice.  I  have  remarked  two  singular  cir- 
cumstances with  respect  to  the  locale  of  these  great 
government  endowments — either  that  they  are  almost 


/ 


232 


ENGINEERS      DEPARTMENT. 


,|i| 


universally  placed  in  the  old  palaces  of  former  mo- 
narchs,  or  that  mansions  of  any  important  but  decayed 
nobles  are  bought  by  the  crown,  and  appropriated  for 
these  purposes.  The  palace  of  Paul  certainly  makes 
a  splendid  college  for  the  engineers'  department.  The 
young  el^ves  have  every  possible  advantage  of  tuition 
and  instruction.  The  dormitories,  the  classes,  the 
dinner,  the  recreation  rooms,  the  gymnastics,  are  all 
fixed  after  the  manner  of  the  other  colleges  ;  there  are, 
in  addition,  rooms,  allotted  for  plans  and  models  of 
field-works  and  fortified  places,  in  the  details  of  which 
the  scholars  are  instructed.  I  saw  some  beautifully 
executed  models  of  Riga,  Aland,  the  Bosphorus,  and 
other  interesting  places ;  and  Russia  is  possibly  as  well 
acquainted  with  the  localities  of  all  the  places  in  the 
four  quarters  of  the  globe,  that  may  be  interesting  to 
her  empire,  as  any  of  the  authorities  of  those  places 
themselves. 

Having  inspected  the  models,  the  department 
of  drawing,  lithography,  and  engraving  was  next 
exhibited ;  and  I  can  conceive  nothing  more  admir- 
able. The  chief  engraver  employed  is  very  able. 
The  finished  designs  are  exhibited  in  one  of  the 
rooms.  Some  are  occasionally  taken  by  the  Emperor 
or  others  of  the  Imperial  family  ;  but  as  they  increase 
rapidly  they  are  sent  into  the  provinces,  and  sold  for 
the  benefit  of  the  establishment.  The  ilhes  are  taught 
here  also  to  make  everything  they  require ;  and  there 
is  a  separate  department  for  the  manufacture  of  each 
article. 


RIDING    SCHOOL. 


233 


l'ecole  d'equitation. 


The  inspection  that  followed  was  that  of  the  school 
which  instructs  and  forms  riding  masters  for  the  cavalry. 
This  is  under  the  care  of  a  general  ofllcer  and  a  colonel. 

Young  men  are  very  eager  to  enter  this  college. 
They  have  everything  found  them  ;  and,  provided  they 
are  competent,  in  six  years  they  are  sent  to  take 
charge  of  the  riding  departments  in  regiments.  The 
candidates  are,  generally,  sons  of  rich  persons  of  the 
better  class,  and  not  sons  of  actual  soldiers.  If  they 
behave  ill,  they  are  immediately  turned  away ;  and 
the  whole  is  so  liberally  conducted,  that  there  is  never 
any  deficiency  of  candidates  for  admission. 

You  are  shown  the  same  sort  of  dormitories  as  in 
the  other  establishments;  and  you  then  traverse  a 
succession  of  very  handsome  stables,  each  holding 
about  twenty  or  twenty-four  horses. 

These  stables  are  kept  in  excellent  order ;  the 
management  of  them  is  like  that  of  English  livery 
stables.  The  horses  of  various  breeds  and  descriptions 
belonging  to  the  crown  were  all  in  the  best  condition. 
I  understand  their  daily  ration  of  forage  to  be  much 
the  same  as  that  of  the  British  cavalry— ten  pounds 
of  oats,  twelve  pounds  of  hay,  and  eight  pounds  of 
straw.  The  stables  are  rather  low,  and  a  large,  round, 
brass  ball  is  at  the  head  of  every  stall-post ;  this  gives 
Ji  peculiarly  bright  and  clean  look  to  the  stable. 
The  curry-comb,  brush,   and  nose- bag,  are   hung  to 


i 


V\ 


234 


SCHOOL    OF    ARTILLERY. 


M 


h 


each  post ;  and  it  looks  much  like  an  English  cavalry 
stable,  from  which  these  points  of  order  may  have  been 
adopted.  There  are  soldiers  in  charge  of  the  horses, 
so  that  the  students  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  care 
of  them.  Passing  through  the  stables,  you  enter  a 
large  manage ;  here  the  instruction  goes  on  daily.  A 
suite  of  apartments  comes  next,  where  there  are  ske- 
letons of  horses  for  the  study  of  the  anatomy  of  the 
animal,  the  feet  of  horses,  and  all  descriptions  of  shoes 
and  matters  connected  with  farriery ;  so  that  it  is 
intended  that  all  who  have  been  brought  up  here, 
should  be  equally  proficient  in  the  veterinary  art  as 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  management  of  a  hoi*se. 


l'ecole  de  l'artillerie. 


f 


In  like  manner  with  L'Ecole  de  Genie,  this  foun- 
dation receives  all  the  young  officers  destined  for  the 
artillery  service.  Here  are  ranged  in  large  halls 
every  description  of  gun  used  in  Europe,  showing  the 
difference  in  the  formation,  use,  and  practice  of  each. 
It  is  impossible  that  practical  men  should  not  derive 
advantage  from  this  mass  of  information,  espe- 
cially as  clever  and  able  officers  direct  all  the 
exercises.  It  is  evident  that,  with  eight  or  ten 
hours  a  day  of  hard  study,  the  lads  must  be  ac- 
complished and  expert.  In  asking  as  to  the  esti- 
mation in  which  the  Austrian  artillery  was  held  in 
this  institution,  in  comparison  with  their  own,  the 
chief  officer  stated,  that  in  knowledge  of  the  guns. 


CIVIL    ENGINEERING. 


235 


the  working  of  them,  the  materials  of  which  all  their 
field-pieces  were  composed,  their  harness,  bridles,  bits, 
and  everything  in  iron  or  brass  work,  their  horses, 
attelage,  and  all  belonging  thereto,  they  felt  they  were 
superior,  not  only  to  the  Austrians,  but  they  conceived 
to  any  artillery  in  Europe ;  still  they  admitted  that  in 
precision  of  firing  and  judging  of  distances  the  Aus- 
trians surpassed  them. 

All  the  departments  of  designing,  drawing,  surveying, 
and  gunnery,  are  here  established  in  regular  succession, 
together  with  the  teaching,  and  the  modelling  and 
making  every  article  (except  the  guns  themselves, 
which  are  cast  at  the  arsenal  and  foundry)  belonging 
to  this  branch  of  the  service. 


LINSTITUT    DES    FONTS    ET    DES    CHAUSSEES. 

This  may  be  compared  to  our  civil  engineer  depart- 
ment; the  students  are  practically  taught  the  con- 
struction of  bridges,  roads,  and  what  relates  to  civil 
engineering.  Here  again  the  Russians  have  selected 
Germans  or  other  foreigners  for  the  head  of  the 
direction.  Nothing  can  show  more  foresight  or  good 
sense  than  this  plan,  by  which  all  the  good  is  ab- 
stracted from  other  nations  by  liberal  salaries  and 
advantageous  situations  ;  and  when  they  have  drawn 
out  of  them  all  the  benefit  they  can,  and  when  the 
scholars  become  as  learned  as  the  teachers,  which,  from 
the  diligence  and  assiduity  of  the  former,  is  rapidly 
the  case,  the  instructors  can  be  dismissed  at  pleasure. 


i 


4 


'I 


236 


THE    ARSENALS. 


L  ARSENAL    ET    LA    FONDERIE. 


The  arsenal  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  Peters- 
burgh,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Neva,  on  a  prolonga- 
tion of  the  English  quay.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  great 
display  of  mounted  guns,  mortars,  and  large  piles  of 
balls,  and  makes  an  imposing  and  formidable  appear- 
ance. It  is  in  two  divisions,  viz.  the  old  arsenal  and  the 
new.  In  the  former  are  placed  old  trophies,  standards, 
arms,  taken  from  the  European  and  Asiatic  powers, 
with  whom  Russia  has  been  at  war,  from  time  imme- 
morial. In  the  latter  is  arranged  a  depot  of  artillery 
of  all  descriptions,  arms,  swords,  pistols,  &c.,  where- 
with to  supply  a  large  body  of  troops  on  any  sudden 
emergency. 

On  inspecting  the  new  arsenal,  I  first  ascended  a 
double  staircase  of  considerable  height,  and  a  long 
gallery  presented  itself,  extending  on  each  side ; 
there  are  two  tiers  or  stories  belonging  to  it,  and 
in  each  are  ranged  in  line  depot  guns  and  stores ; 
they  are  on  their  carriages,  ready  for  instant  use, 
and  are  in  high  order.  Having  examined  both 
sides,  above  and  below,  (arriving  at  the  former  tier 
by  an  easy  ascent  at  each  end,)  I  descended  the  great 
staircase,  and  was  conducted  into  the  lower  regions, 
which  are  devoted  to  the  borifig  of  cannon  and  to  the 
manufacture  of  fire-arms.  Here  from  seven  to  eight 
hundred  men  are  continually  at  work  for  eight  hours 
a   day.     The   machinery  is    worked  by  steam;    the 


«•  i^**"-!*  II 


RELICS    OF    ALEXANDER. 


237 


workmen,  dressed  alike  in  clean  white  flannel  jackets 
and  trousers,  appear  neat  and  well  trained  ;  these  men 
are  paid  daily  for  their  labour,  g^nd  are  not  put 
into  messes,  or  lodged  in  dormitories  or  barracks,  as  in 
the  cadets'  establishments.  We  went  to  the  top  of  the 
building,  where  the  arms  of  the  army  are  collected  in 
depot.  These  are  cleaned  and  kept  in  order  by  a 
fatigue  party,  daily  furnished  by  the  garrison ;  and  it 
is  impossible  to  have  stands  of  arms  in  better  condi- 
tion. A  large  supply  of  sabres  and  swords  for  the 
cavalry  are  also  in  depot. 

From  the  new  we  proceeded  to  the  old  arsenal,  where, 
as  I  have  before  stated,  are  exhibited  ancient  trophies, 
arms,  and  standards,  captured  in  the  victorious  wars  of 
Russia.  These  memorials  of  her  conquests  are  ranged 
in  different  cabinets,  designated  as  the  Cabinet  de 
France,  de  la  Prusse,  Cabinet  de  TAutriche,  de  la  Po- 
logne,  de  la  Turquie,  and  so  on  ;  there  is  naturally  a 
considerable  number  of  curious  specimens  of  old  warlike 
instruments,  spears,  shields,  battle-axes,  &c.  The 
regularity  with  which  everything  is  placed  de- 
mands the  utmost  admiration.  The  last  cabinet  on 
the  range  is  that  of  the  Emperor  Alexander ;  and  be- 
yond it,  in  a  room  hung  with  black  cloth  and  ap- 
propriate escutcheons,  is  the  funeral  car  on  which 
this  great  sovereign  was  carried  to  his  last  home. 
In  this  cabinet  one  armoire  contains  all  his  uni- 
forms, boots,  and  hats;  another  holds  the  deco- 
rations and  orders  which  he  had  received  from  the 
different  sovereigns  of  Europe,  amongst  which  the 
Garter  occupies  the  first  place  ;  and  in  a  third  are  laid 


238 


SCHOOL    OF    ARTILLERY. 


I|i 


out  the  sword-belts  and  sashes  that  were  ever  worn 
by  this  monarch.  This  display  inspires  a  kind  of 
reverential  interest,  pleasing,  no  doubt,  to  the  gene- 
rality of  beholders,  but  awakening  many  painful  recol- 
lections in  the  bosoms  of  those  who  lived  in  the  inti- 
mate society  of  Alexander,  and  who  tenderly  loved 
that  departed  sovereign. 

Having  inspected  the  two  arsenals,  I  next  visited 
another  corps  des  cadets  attached  to  the  gunnery, 
which  is  founded  exactly  upon  the  same  system  and 
principles  as  those  I  have  already  described.  It  is 
composed  of  about  five  hundred  eleves  pour  Tartillerie. 
This  is  called  L'Ecole  d'Artillerie. 

At  the  great  foundry  I  then  saw  cast,  with  the 
utmost  science  and  ability,  seven  large  brass  thirty-six 
pounders  for  the  use  of  the  navy.  The  perfection  of 
the  moulds  into  which  the  hot  metal  ran,  the  dexterity 
of  the  workmen,  and  the  proficiency  of  all  engaged 
in  the  operation,  demanded  my  unbounded  praise; 
and  I  did  not  fail  to  express  it  to  General  Eiler,  com- 
manding the  artillery,  (who  was  so  obliging  as  to 
show  me  this  exhibition,)  in  a  manner  that  its  merits 
called  for. 


L  ECOLE  DES  PORTES  ENSEIGNES  DE  LA  GARDE. 


\4 


The  Emperor  Alexander  was  of  opinion,  that  be- 
tween the  period  of  the  young  men  leaving  the  corps 
des  cadets  and  getting  appointed  to  regiments,  they 
often  lost  their  time,  and  forgot  much  of  their  instruc- 


COLLEGE    FOR    YOUNG    OFFICERS, 


239 


tion;  and  therefore  conceived  it  wise  to  form  this 
college,  which  receives  all  the  recruits  destined  to 
become  officers  in  the  cavalry  or  .  infantry  of  the 
guards.  It  has  been  founded  about  twelve  years,  and 
is  composed  of  about  three  hundred  young  men,  who 
are  educated  exclusively  for  the  Chevalier  Guard,  the 
lancers,  and  hussars  of  the  guard,  &c. 

These  young  officers  pay  six  hundred  and  fifty 
roubles  each  yearly,  as  some  acknowledgment,  but 
the  great  expense  falls  on  the  government.  They  have 
a  more  luxurious  mess,  and  their  linen  and  beds  are 
better  tlian  in  the  other  schools ;  there  is  also  attached 
a  riding  school  and  stables,  with  about  one  hundred 
horses  for  the  instruction  and  use  of  the  oflficers ;  and 
it  is  intended  that  the  young  ofliicers  shall  here  make 
their  final  preparations  for  joining  their  regiments. 

From  the  stature  and  good  looks  of  the  young  men, 
I  thouglit  there  was  some  favouritism  as  to  the 
selection  for  admission  ;  and  as  I  left  the  place,  I 
observed  groups  of  candidates  who  had  just  arrived, 
and  were  waiting  to  pass  the  inspection  of  the 
general.  The  edifice  is  not  so  large  as  many  of 
the  others.  It  was  bought  by  Alexander  from  one  of 
the  nobles,  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  esta- 
blished. 


LES    BATAILLONS    DES  CANTONISTES    MILITAIRES. 

In  all  the  great  towns  of  Russia  these  battalions 
cantonistes  militaire  are  established.     They  are  formed 


,1' 


J  J. 


i 


-4 


\ 


i 


240 


COLLEGE    FOR    YOUNG    OFFICERS. 


of  the  sons  of  soldiers  belonging  to  the  regimeflts  of  the 
province.  In  the  battalion  which  I  inspected,  there 
were  upwards  of  eight  hundred  boys.  They  are 
clothed,  fed,  taught  in  classes,  and  kept  until  they 
can  enter  the  service,  upon  the  principle  already 
described  of  the  other  colleges.  With  regard  to  their 
subsistence,  they  are  fed  as  the  common  soldier  for 
ten  copecks  a  day.  The  boys  looked  cheerful, 
healthy,  and  excessively  clean,  and  were  all  in  the 
strictest  order ;  above  eight  hundred  marched  into  the 
great  hall  before  me  to  dinner.  Their  Non  Nobis,  or 
grace,  made  a  glorious  impression  ;  the  chapel  is 
on  one  side  of  the  hall,  and  during  mass  the  batta- 
lion joins  in  the  hymns.  One  general  has  tlie 
superintendence  and  inspection  of  all  the  cantonistes 
battalions  of  Russia,  being  under  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  a  separate  colonel. 

I  will  here  close  my  account  of  my  military  inspec- 
tions of  St.  Petersburgh,  entertaining  a  confident 
hope,  that  as  I  have  given,  as  well  as  I  am  able,  a 
general  outline  of  these  valuable  establishments,  the 
curiosity  of  all  my  military  readers  will  be  sufficiently 
excited  to  form  their  own  judgment  of  them  by  a  per- 
sonal visit  to  Russia. 


MILITARY    FETES. 


241 


;l 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


// 


Military  F6tes— Dinner  at  the  Winter  Palace— Intercourse  of 
Officers  — The  Imperial  Family— The  Dinner  —  Interesting 
Spectacle — Gracious  Invitation. 

The  Emperor  invited  me  again  this  day  to  be  pre- 
sent at  another  fete  of  the  most  elite  regiments  of 
the  guard.  I  had  already  attended  the  fetes  of  two 
regiments,  and  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  record 
the  origin  of  these  festivals.  The  Empress  Catherine 
having  then  but  six  regiments  of  guards,  ordained 
that  the  anniversary  of  the  formation  of  each  reoi- 
ment  should  be  kept  as  a  holiday,  that  the  regiment 
should  parade  before  her,  and  that  her  Imperial 
Majesty  should  give  the  officers  of  the  corps  a  mihtary 
dinner  at  the  Winter  Palace. 

This  custom  has  been  kept  up  by  her  successors ; 
instead,  however,  of  having  only  six  regiments  to 
entertain,  the  Emperor  Nicholas  has  now  twenty- 
four;  and  consequently  the  fetes  and  dinners  come 
very  often  round.     It  is   usual  for  the  Emperor  to 


H 


/ 


VOL.    I. 


R 


242 


MILITARY    FETES. 


ask  foreign   officers   of  distinction   to   witness   these 
celebrations,  but  the  corps  diplomatique  never  attend. 
The  invitation  to  me  was  contained  in  the  accom- 
panying letter  from  General  Beckendorf. 

"  L'aide-de-camp  General  Comte  Beckendorf  a 
rhonneur  de  faire  savoir  a  monsieur  le  Marquis  dc 
Londonderry,  que  sa  Majeste  I'Empereur  engage  son 
excellence  a  assister  demain,  le  21  Novembre — 3  De- 
cembre,  a  la  parade  du  regiment  de  Simonossky,  qui 
aura  lieu  a  I'occasion  de  la  fete  de  ce  regiment,  a  uue 
heure  apres  midi,  au  manege  des  ingenieurs.  On 
sera  en  grande  tenue." 

The  order  of  the  day  was  in  the  following  terms. 


'  •.  I 


!  i 


*'  ORDRE    DV    JOUR. 

"  Demain,  Samedi,  a  une  heure  precise,  commencera 
la  fete  du  regiment  Simonossky,  par  une  messe 
d'eglise,  au  manege  du  corps  d'ingenieurs ;  ensuite 
le  regiment  passera  en  parade  devant  sa  Majeste 
TEmpereur." 

The  invitation  to  other  reviews  was  as  follows. 

"  L'aide-de-camp  General  Comte  Beckendorf  a 
rhonneur  de  faire  savoir  au  Marquis  de  London- 
derry, que  sa  Majeste  TEmpereur  engage  son  excel- 
lence a  assister  demain,  le  17-29  Octobre,  a  la 
revue  de  Tinfanterie  des  gardes,  qui  commencera  a 
midi,  sur  le  champ  dit  Izartzincloug.  On  sera  en 
grande  tenue :  s'il  pleut,  la  parade  sera  contremandee.'" 


MILITARY    FETES. 


243 


I  liad  already  seen  the  fetes  of  the  regiments  of 
Moscow  and  Lithuania;  the  arrangements  on  the 
present  occasion  w^re  on  the  same,  scale  and  plan. 
The  regiment  of  Simonossky  is  of  peculiar  interest ; 
it  was  Catherine's  regiment,  it  was  also  Alexander's  ; 
and  I  should  say  it  was,  beyond  all  comparison,  the 
finest,  the  best  sized,  and  most  elegant  corps  in  the 
Russian  service. 

In  summer  the  fetes  of  the  regiments  of  guards 
may  be  conducted  out  of  doors,   and  upon  a  more 
extended  scale.     In  bad  weather  the  foUowino-  is  the 
order    of   the   arrangement.      The    manege    of  the 
engineers,  which  is  the  largest  in  St.  Petersburgh,  is 
the   place   where    the    regiment    assembles,    and   is 
drawn  up  in  one  or  two  lines.     The  general  officers  of 
the  staff,  and  all  officers  on   leave  and  sojourning  at 
St.   Petersburgh,   are  ordered  to  be  present.     These, 
with  the  foreign  officers  in  varied  splendid  uniforms, 
wait  the  hour  of  one  o'clock,  when  his  Imperial  Majesty 
and  the  Grand  Duke  Heritier  arrive.     The  reo-iments 
salute,  the  Emperor  touches  his  hat  to  the  assemblage 
of  officers,  and  proceeds  into  the  centre  of  the  ridino^ 
school.     Here  the  priests,  clothed  in  green  and  gold, 
with  tapers  and  all  the  paraphernalia  for  high  mass,  and 
the   Emperor's  choristers,   have  been  previously  sta- 
tioned.    The  regiment  or  regiments  now  stand  at  ease, 
and  the  mass  is  performed.     On  its  conclusion,  and 
the  anthem  having  been  sung  in  the  finest  manner  by 
the   court   singers,    the   priests    and   their   assistants 
leave  the  manege,  and  the  Emperor  and  Grand  Duke 
walk  down  the  line,  front  and   rear,  and  then  place 

R  2 


UK 


4 


I 

■  I 


244 


DINNER  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE. 


themselves,  with  all  the  staff  above  described,  in 
front  of  the  regiment.  The  Emperor  on  these  occa- 
sions, and  indeed  on  all  others  when  I  have  seen  him 
with  troops,  never  converses  with  or  acknowledges 
particularly  any  officers  or  persons  of  distinction 
around  him ;  his  mind  and  attention  seem  so 
wholly  absorbed  in  examining  tlie  soldiers,  that  he 
is  lost  to  everything  else.  The  regiment  then 
marches  by  without  arms,  except  the  guard  for 
the  day.  They  do  not  salute,  but  as  every  divi- 
sion passes,  the  Emperor  hails  them  with  the 
accustomed  cheer  of  "  How  are  you,  my  children  ?" 
to  which  they  respond  in  enthusiastic  roar,  "  We 
thank  you,  our  father."  The  corps  having  defiled, 
the  Emperor  again  touches  his  liat  to  all  the  officers, 
saying,  "  Adieu,  messieurs ;"  and  then  walking  from 
the  regiment,  he  exclaims,  "  I  am  satisfied  with  your 
zeal  and  conduct,  my  children."  "  We'll  do  better 
next  time,"  is  then  the  cry  from  the  battalions. 
Under  this  shout  his  Imperial  Majesty,  accompanied 
by  the  Caesarowitch,  mounts  into  his  little  open  phae- 
ton, and  drives  off  under  the  sole  guidance  of  his 
favoured  coachman,  with  his  long  black  beard  and  liis 
beautiful  Tartar  horses. 

Four  o'clock  was  the  hour  I  was  invited  to  dine  at 
the  Winter  Palace ;  tlie  officers  began  to  assemble  at 
three.  On  arriving  at  the  entree  door,  as  there  are 
two  entrances,  (as  at  St.  James's,)  I  was  conducted  by 
a  feld  jager  de  la  cour,  who  w^as  in  attendance, 
through  many  large  halls  and  saloons,  where  all  the 
invited  officers  of  the  army  were  assembled,  until  we 


iu) 


W 


INTERCOURSE    OF    OFFICERS. 


245 


reached  the  Empress's  cabinet,  in  which  apartment 
the  Imperial  family  were  first  to  appear.     There  can 
be    nothing    more   military   or   imposing   than   this 
assembly   of  officers.     It  must  have  great  effect  on 
the  minds  and    conduct  of  the  army,  and  particu- 
larly    of    the    guards.      By    this    engaging   hospi- 
tah'ty,  wliich    is   enhanced    by  the    presence   of  the 
Emperor's   own   family,  and  by  the  frequent  inter- 
course  of  the  staff  with   the  regimental   officers   of 
every  regiment  of  guards,   (which  these  fetes  allow 
of,)  the  great  nucleus  of  the  army  becomes  as   one 
family ;  each    member  is  known    to   the   other,   not 
alone  by  name,  but  they  are  acquainted  with  everything 
relating  to  each  other.     The  real  merit  of  every  officer 
is   prominent  under  the  very  eye   of  the  Emperor, 
who  knows,  speaks  to,  and  addresses  each  by  name. 
If  you  compare  this  with  the  very  limited  reciprocal 
knowledge  that  our  regimental  officers  have  of  their 
general  and  staff  officers,  or  even  of  their  monarch, 
I  am  afraid  we  should  not  have  much  to  boast  of. 
There  is  another  advantage  in  these  assemblies,  how- 
ever   costly    and    expensive    they   may   be    to    the 
government.     They  inspire  an  air,   manner,  style  of 
dress  and  conduct,  from    the  force  of  example   thus 
exhibited   before  the  collected  mass  of  officers,  that 
is  very    apparent.     Awkwardness,    carelessness,   and 
want  of  uniformitj^  in  dress,  or  in  the  mode  of  putting 
on    appointments,  is  seldom  to   be  observed  amongst 
Russian  officers;  and  I  cannot  but  attribute  to  this 
frequent   habit  of  exhibition    before  their   sovereign 
the  remarkable  fact,  that  every  officer  in  the  guards 


^ 


k 


f 


I" 


lli 


246 


THE    IMPERIAL    FAMILY. 


of  the  Russian  army  is  so  thoroughly  a  gentleman 
in  demeanour,  carriage,  and  appearance.  The  ex- 
treme civility  of  the  officers  is  another  circum- 
stance that  a  stranger  cannot  fail  to  observe.  At 
the  court  of  St.  James's  who  makes  way  for  another  ? 
But  at  St.  Petersburgh  there  is  an  obliging  empresse- 
ment  to  give  way  and  be  accommodating  to  foreigners, 
that  is  very  agreeable ;  and  if  it  be  the  province  of  soi- 
disant  barbarism  to  show  a  proper  respect  for  one's 
superiors,  and  to  pay  them  due  deference,  I  confess, 
in  my  mind,  it  is  preferable  to  the  rudeness  of  civili- 
sation. It  will  be  admitted  by  every  one  who  sees  the 
Russian  army,  that  the  officers  are  the  best  and  most 
uniformly  dressed  of  any  in  Europe,  and  equally  so 
on  service ;  and  however  distinguished  were  the 
bravery  and  good  conduct  of  our  valiant  army  in  the 
Peninsula,  I  always  lamented  their  inattention  to 
this  necessary  point. 

Having  threaded  my  way  through  the  deep  lines 
and  columns  of  officers,  most  of  whom  were  deco- 
rated with  crosses  and  ribbons,  I  reached  the  Em- 
press's cabinet.  Here  a  large  blaze  of  light,  reflected 
from  Malachite  tripods,  jasper  columns,  and  gilded 
doors,  gave  the  impression  that  you  had  arrived  in 
some  temple  of  the  sun ;  but  before  I  could  examine 
the  locale,  the  Imperial  family  made  their  appearance 
from  an  adjoining  room.  The  Empress,  dressed  in  light 
blue  velvet  covered  with  pearls,  made  her  obeisance  to 
the  circle,  and  said  something  obliging  to  the  most  pro- 
minent individuals.  The  Emperor  followed  in  like 
manner,  wearing  the  uniform  of  the   regiment,  then 


I 


THE    DINNER. 


247 


the  Heritier,  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga,  and  Marie  ; 
last,  and  not  least  remarkable,  in  the  train,  were  the 
little  Grand  Dukes,  of  five  and  ^ix  years  old,  in 
Cossack  attire. 

The    circle    having   been    gone    round,    we    pro- 
ceeded to  la  salle   blanche,  where  the  banquet    was 
served.     I    have    seen    many    Imperial    and    Royal 
dinners  and  fetes  of  sovereigns  in  Europe,  at  Vienna, 
Paris,  and  London ;  but  this  entertainment  surpassed 
them  all.     We  sat  down  above  four  hundred.     The 
salle  was  lighted  by  four  thousand  bougies ;  the  dinner 
was  served  certainly  a  la  Russe,  but  was  hot  and  ex- 
cellent.     The  wines  were  of  every  description  ;   the 
or-molu  ornaments  and  confectionery  which  decorated 
the  table,  were  not  only  splendidly  handsome,  but  the 
latter  in  great  perfection,  and  the  dessert  was  laid  out 
on  a  Russian  porcelain  service,  on  which  were  painted 
the  devices  and    uniforms  of  every  regiment  in  the 
Russian  army.     The  Empress  sat  in  the  middle  of  the 
centre  table,   having  the   Heritier  on  her  right,  the 
Prince   of  Oldenburgh    on   her  left,   and  the   other 
branches  of  the  Imperial  family  next  her.     The  Em- 
peror, as  is  usual  on   these  occasions,  was  opposite  to 
her  Imperial  Majesty,  with  the  two  oldest  officers  of 
the  regiment  on  his  right  and  left.     At  a  particular 
moment  of  the  repast,  the   Emperor  rose  and  said, 
"  Je  porte  a  la  santedes  officiers  du  regiment."  Every 
body  stands ;  they  then  reseat  themselves  in  silence, 
and  there  are  no  further  speeches  or  demonstrations  of 
any  kind. 

After  coffee  is  handed  round,   the  Imperial  circle 


,<  I 


/ 


248 


INTERESTING    SPECTACLE. 


rise  and  proceed  to  the  rooms  of  the  Empress.  On 
this  occasion  there  was  a  peculiarly  interesting  spec- 
tacle. As  the  regiment  was  one  in  which  the  Imperial 
family  had  all  served,  and  as  the  young  Grand  Dukes 
will  be  first  placed  in  it,  the  Emperor,  to  show  his  re- 
spect and  attachment  to  this  corps,  had  arranged  the 
following  exhibition. 

In  the  interior  of  the  salle  blanche^  on  each  side  of 
the  door,  were  placed  two  of  the  finest  grenadiers  of 
the  regiment,  measuring  at  least  six  feet  two  or  three 
inches.  When  we  had  passed  these  in  the  outer  hall, 
to  our  amazement  we  belield  the  two  little  Grand 
Dukes  standing  as  sentinels,  and  dressed  with  minute 
exactness  as  privates  of  the  regiment,  with  their  knap- 
sacks, great  coats,  haversacks,  all  in  marching  order. 
To  the  inexpressible  amusement  of  every  body,  the  Em- 
peror himself  then  put  the  little  princes  through  the 
manual  and  platoon  exercise,  which  they  both  did 
incomparably.  The  universal  delight,  from  the  oldest 
general  to  the  lowest  subaltern  of  the  guards,  was  some- 
thing I  cannot  describe.  It  may  be  said  that  this  is 
theatrical,  but  I  reply  that  it  is  not  in  human  nature  to 
believe  that  such  meetings,  and  such  perfect  harmony 
and  general  good-will  towards  all,  should  not  cement 
feelings  of  loyalty  and  devotion  far  more  than  in  those 
services  where  neither  sovereign,  nor  generals,  nor 
superior  staff  officers,  ever  mix  with  the  regimental 
officers  or  other  subaltern  officers  of  the  army. 

The  6tl|  of  December,  old  style,  is  one  of  the  great 
fetes  of  ttie  empire.  On  this  day  they  keep  the 
Emperor's    birth-day,  and  it    is    generally    observed 


'■J 


y 


X 


GRACIOUS    INVITATION. 


249 


( 


by  a  great  morning  ceremony,  and  a  ball  in  the 
salle  blanche  of  the  Palais  d'Hiver,  of  twelve  or 
fifteen  hundred  people.  On  this  ?inniversary,  how- 
ever, in  consequence  of  the  announcement  of  the 
death  at  Berlin  of  the  Princess  Louise  Radzivil  of 
Prussia,  the  ball  was  postponed  to  the  following  week. 
The  court  reception  corresponds  to  the  Queen's  birth- 
day in  England  ;  that  is  to  say,  all  the  noblesse  of 
Russia,  and  the  society  received  at  court,  are  expected, 
as  a  duty,  to  attend  at  the  baiseinains,  which,  how- 
ever, is  performed  in  a  very  different  manner  from 
that  of  St.  James's. 

Previously  to  this  great  presentation,  a  grand  mass 
is  performed  in  the  Greek  chapel  within  the  palace. 
The  corps  diplomatique  are  received  in  a  room  espe- 
cially allotted  for  that  purpose,  where  they  pay  their 
compliments  to  the  Empress  and  Emperor.  They 
are  not  present  at  the  mass,  nor  any  other  part  of  the 
ceremony.  The  Emperor  had  heard  that  Lady  Lon- 
donderry and  myself  were  very  desirous  of  being  ad- 
mitted to  see  the  whole  of  this  extraordinary  and 
splendid  exhibition,  and  at  one  of  the  private  balls  of 
the  Anishkoff*  Palace  his  Imperial  Majesty  said  to  me, 
"  If  you  desire  to  see  our  great  ceremony,  although  no 
strangers  are  ever  admitted  to  it,  I  will  make  an 
exception  for  you.  But  you  must  come  amongst  the 
crowd ;  you  know  I  cannot  say  this  to  madame  voire 
epouse,  but  you  understand  me,  and  will  attend,  wear- 
ing our  Russian  Order  of  St.  George,  with  my  aides- 
de-camp  generaux."  I  bowed,  and  assured  his  Imperial 
Majesty  of  the  great  gratification  his  condescension 
gave  me. 


i 


I' 


I 


V 


II « 


\ 


250 


ASSEMBLING    AT    THE    PALACE. 


ASSEMBLING    AT    THE    PALACE. 


251 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Assembling  at  the  Palace — The  Imperial  Cortege — Procession — 
High  Mass— Kissing  Hands — Christmas  Day— Russian  Deco- 
ration— The  Emperor  and  Empress — Splendid  Spectacle — High 
Mass — Mournful  Ceremony— Benediction  of  the  Colours. 

We  were  ordered  to  assemble  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
morning  at  the  Palais  d'Hiver.  In  the  immense  area 
before  the  palace  all  the  equipages  of  Petersbuigh  of 
any  note  were  drawn  up,  each  with  their  accustomed 
attelage  of  four  horses,  together  with  a  crowd  of 
sledges,  on  which  the  military  officers  arrived.  There 
were  no  brilliant  or  fine  carriages  and  horses  as  in 
London,  nor  were  the  servants  clothed  better  than  at 
the  ordinary  assemblies  or  dinners.  The  weather 
was  very  cold,  with  much  snow  on  the  ground,  and  all 
the  attendants  were  wrapped  in  furs  and  skins.  The 
entrance  into  the  palace  is  by  two  or  three  different 
great  staircases,  so  that  there  is  no  inconvenient  crowd, 
and  all  have  their  doors  of  entry.  The  moment  you 
come  in,  the  climate,  by  means  of  the  quantity  of  hot- 
air  stoves,  is  perfect.  You  are  then  led  by  the  couriers 
of  the  court  and  running  footmen  through  the  immense 
mass  of  reception-rooms  which  are  prepared  to  hold 


the  company.     It  is  quite  in  vain  to  attempt  a  recapi- 
tulation of  them. 

The  ladies  were  stopped,  after  having  traversed  half 
a  dozen  rooms  filled  with  the  palace  servants  in 
sumptuous  liveries,  in  the  first  great  saloon,  where 
ladies  exclusively  assemble ;  the  richness  of  their  Rus- 
sian costume,  their  long  pendent  veils,  their  broad- 
fronted  caps  covered  with  jewels  as  numerous  as 
resplendent,  and  of  as  many  precious  stones  as  the 
variety  of  the  tints  of  the  caps  themselves,  presented  a 
matchless  coup  d'ceil. 

Long  should  I  have  remained  transfixed  in  gazing 
at  this  perfection  of  nature  and  art  so  curiously  com- 
bined, if  I  had  not  been  pressed  on  by  my  conductor, 
w^ho  assured  me  I  ought  to  hasten  to  the  apartment 
where  the  aides-de-camp  gen^raux  were  assembled. 
I  proceeded  and  saw  in  succession  "  the  Conseil  Priv6 
de  TEmpereur,"  composed  of  about  forty  or  fifty  of 
the  first  men  of  the  empire,  who  were  placed  in  a 
great  hall  by  themselves.  Next,  in  another  saloon, 
were  the  senate,  two  or  three  hundred,  all  in  scar- 
let, with  the  richest  gold  embroidery  ;  then  the 
civilians  and  diplomatists,  with  light-blue  dress  coats 
equally  costly ;  after  these  came  the  other  civil 
branches  of  the  state ;  and,  finally,  in  the  last  magni- 
ficent apartment,  all  the  marine,  artillery,  and  military 
officers  were  assembled  in  groups  formed  by  their 
respective  branches  of  the  service,  and  the  aides-de- 
camp g^neraux  and  superior  officers  were  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  room. 

It  is  in  vain  to  attemi)t  giving  any  idea  of  the  uni- 


\)  \ 


J! 


/ 

I' 

\ 


'II 

r 


I 


i 


m 


252 


THE    IMPERIAL    CORTEGE. 


forms  of  the  cuirassiers,  liuzzars,  dragoons,  and  infantry 
of  every  denomination,  Cossacks,  Circassians,  Geor- 
gians ;  neither  can  any  one  conceive  the  number  of 
stars,  ribbons,  decorations  in  diamonds,  and  orders  of 
all  nations,  tliat  appeared  on  the  breasts  of  these  mar- 
tial heroes.  The  admirable  arrangement  and  order 
that  reigned,  gave  each  his  proper  place,  and  without 
the  least  semblance  of  confusion.  All  appeared  h'ke 
clock-work,  and  I  was  never  before  so  struck  with  the 
magical  effect  of  order. 

In  a  few  minutes  afterwards  I  was  next  to  General 
Czemicheff,  the  minister  of  war,  and  at  the  head  of 
the  aides-de-camp  generaux.  A  movement  in  the 
adjoining  anteroom  announced  the  approach  of  the 
Imperial  cortege.  At  least  one  hundred  gentil- 
hornmes  de  la  cour,  clothed  in  dark  green  and  gold 
embroidery,  far  surpassing  that  on  the  full  dress  of 
our  cabinet  ministers,  filed  off  two  and  two  before 
me.  After  these  in  succession  came,  accordinir  to 
their  rank,  the  great  chargts  de  cour,  and  then  tlie 
Emperor,  with  the  Empress  on  his  riglit.  His  Im- 
perial Majesty  wore  the  uniform  of  the  Hetman  of  the 
Cossacks,  and  the  Empress,  being  one  blaze  of  jewels, 
had  her  crown  surmounted  with  rows  of  pearls  in- 
numerable, some  of  which  were  nearly  as  large  as 
pigeons'  eggs.  These  jewels  of  the  crown  are  beyond 
everything  costly  and  unique.  The  Empress's  train 
was  of  deep  crimson  velvet.  The  Heritier,  wlio 
was  next  in  procession,  was  in  a  Russian  general's 
uniform,  to  which  rank  he  had  been  that  day  pro- 
moted.     Then   came   the    two    beautiful    Princesses 


PROCESSION. — HIGH    MASS. 


253 


Olga  and  Marie,  in  light  blue  velvet  trains  and 
dresses  covered  with  pearls;  their  fascination,  their 
simplicity,  their  perfection  in  grac.e,  tournure,  and 
every  feminine  attribute,  no  writer  can  adequately 
describe.  The  Grand  Duchess  Helen  followed,  and 
then  about  seventy  or  eighty  of  les  demoiselles  de  la 
chamhre,  or  les  demoiselles  d  'honneur  of  the  Empress ; 
they  being,  however,  preceded  by  the  stately  and 
somewhat  more  antiquated  dames  d  'honneur.  Some 
latitude  in  dress  is  allowed  to  the  latter,  but  les  demoi- 
selles must  all  appear  in  robes  and  trains  of  scarlet, 
and  no  other  ladies  are  allowed  to  assume  any  of  the 
three  colours  of  crimson,  light  blue,  or  scarlet,  these 
being  exclusively  confined  to  the  court. 

This  grand  procession  now  moved  on  to  the  gor- 
geous Greek  chapel,  the  assembled  multitude  in  the 
different  apartments  falling  in  successively  and  follow^- 
ing  in  column.     Arrived  at  the  sanctuary,  high  mass 
was  performed  in  the  most   imposing  manner;    the 
high  priests  and  clergy  belonging  to  the  court  oflici- 
ating  in  their  resplendent  robes,  and  the  choristers  of 
the  Imperial  chapels,  with  the  best  from  all  the  cathe- 
drals and  cliurches  in  Petersburgh,  being  present  to 
enhance  the  grandeur  of  the  ceremony— the  surround- 
ing court  making  their  reverences  and  prostrations 
lower  and  more  reverential,  probably,  than  ordinary, 
from  their  being  in  the  presence  of  their  sovereign. 
Having  written  an  account  of  the  mass  at  Czarskoeselo, 
the  further  details  of  this  ceremony  (although  far  sur- 
passing that  in  splendour)  was  in  the  same  character, 
and  need  not  be  repeated.     At  its  conclusion  the  me- 


254 


KISSING    HANDS. 


tropolitans  and  all  the  dignitaries  of  the  church,  higli 
and  low,  advanced  from  the  sanctuary  to  make  their 
felicitations  to  the  Imperial  pair.  The  aged  ecclesi- 
astics, with  their  long  beards  and  sumptuous  robes, 
the  flowing  hair  and  the  bald  heads,  claimed  alike,  in 
this  group,  their  different  portions  of  attention.  When 
all  had  paid  their  duties,  the  corihge  retrograded  in  tlie 
same  order,  the  Empress  being  led,  on  her  retuiii 
from  tlie  salle  blanche,  into  her  own  private  apartments 
and  boudoir.  The  doors  of  the  former  were  shut  for 
half  an  hour,  when  the  company  grouped  themselves 
in  circles,  and  general  conversation  and  intercourse 
took  place,  which  was  impossible  until  this  period  of 
the  ceremony.  In  half  an  hour,  when  the  Empress 
had  sufficiently  reposed,  the  doors  of  the  private 
apartment  were  unclosed,  and  the  baiseniains  took 
place.  The  Emperor  during  tliis  part  of  the  cere- 
mony retired  to  his  own  room,  and  was  not  seen 
after  the  church  service.  The  mode  of  going  through 
the  kissing  of  her  Imperial  Majesty's  hand  is  far  dif- 
ferent from  that  in  England.  Instead  of  hurrying  as 
if  to  escape  being  squeezed  to  deatli,  old  men,  young 
women,  dowagers,  admirals,  generals,  dandies  with 
swords  between  their  legs  and  uniforms  catching  in 
ladies'  lace ; — instead  of  a  scene  of  this  sort,  in  which 
the  motley  crowd  appear  to  be  pressing  up  and  run- 
ning as  if  they  were  starting  for  a  plate, — this  Imperial 
proceeding  is  performed,  like  clock-work,  with  the 
utmost  precision  and  regularity,  and  there  was  no  dif- 
ficulty whatever  in  marshalling  and  arranging  all 
according  to  rank  and  sex.     On  the  great  doors  being 


^n 


CHRISTMAS    DAY. 


255 


opened,  tlie  Grand  Marshal  and  the  Master  of  the 
Ceremonies  place  themselves  on  each  side,  and  the 
ladies  present  are  summoned  according  to  their  rank, 
and  pass  singly  in  succession  into  the  Empress's  apart- 
ment. Her  Imperial  Majesty  leaned  on  a  railing  of 
brass,  having  ^jardinihre  in  the  centre,  and  those  who 
had  kissed  her  hand  passed  one  by  one  round  this 
centre  jardiniere,  and  went  out  through  a  door  at  the 
farther  end  of  the  boudoir,  which  again  led  to  the 
rooms  in  which  the  court  first  assembled. 

Zes  dames  d'honneur  of  the  Empress,  and  next  the 
wives  of  the  ministers,  approached  her  Imperial  Ma- 
jesty in  the  first  instance.  After  les  dames  d'honneur 
came  the  whole  of  the  female  nobility,  according  to 
their  rank ;  and  then  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the 
civil  and  military  functionaries. 

The  whole  of  the  ladies  having  gone  through  the 
ceremony,  the  turn  of  the  gentlemen  begins,  which  is 
conducted  in  similar  order,  and  when  finished  all  pro- 
ceed to  their  carriages  as  soon  as  they  can  get  away. 
And  thus  ended  one  of  the  grandest  and  sublimest 
spectacles  I  ever  beheld. 

The  ceremony  of  Christmas  day  is  celebrated  in  St. 
Petersburgh  with  a  mixed  religious  and  military  so- 
lemnity that  deserves  particular  notice.  It  is  the  day 
on  which  it  has  been  decreed  to  mark  throughout 
the  empire,  by  a  solemn  Te  Deum,  the  deliverance  of 
Russia  from  the  invasion  of  the  French  in  1812,  and 
likewise  the  entry  of  the  allies  into  Paris  in  1814. 
Combining  these  two  extraordinary  and  eventful 
crises,  the  sovereigns  of  Russia  have  resorted  to  every 


'  'I 


•256 


RUSSIAN    DECORATION. 


I 


.1 


expedient  of  pomp  and  display  to  preserve  the  remem- 
brance of  these  epochs  fresh  in  the  recollection  of  the 
nation.  But,  in  addition  to  the  glorious  and  joyous 
occurrences  which  are  commemorated,  they  mingle 
their  lamentations  for  the  Emperor  Alexander's  un- 
timely death,  which  happened  many  years  after. 
Ebullitions  of  joy  and  sorrow  in  the  same  hour  detract 
from  the  hilarity  of  the  one,  and  the  sadness  of 
the  other ;  but  I  shall  describe  the  scenes  of  the  day, 
as  far  as  I  remember  them.  I  believe  I  am  the  only 
foreign  officer  that  has  ever  been  permitted  to  witness 
the  whole  of  this  imposing  ceremony.  It  is  a  strict 
rule,  that  every  person  present  shall  be  decorated 
either  with  the  medal  for  the  deliverance  of  Moscow, 
or  the  capture  of  Paris.  It  was,  therefore,  with  no 
small  satisfaction  that  I  received,  by  order  of  the  Em- 
peror, from  Prince  Volkonski,  in  the  following  flatter- 
ing letter,  a  few  days  preceding  the  ceremony,  the 
Russian  medal  for  the  Prise  de  Paris,  Having  served 
at  the  battles  of  Leipsic  and  of  Paris,  and  having 
marched  in  at  the  surrender  of  Paris  close  to  the  Em- 
peror Alexander  and  King  of  Prussia,  the  Emperor 
Nicholas  under  the  regulations  presented  me  with  this 
decoration. 


:] 


«  St.  Petersbourg,  5  Janvier,  1837. 

"  Monsieur  le  Marquis, 

"  Sa  Majeste  TEmpereur  a  voulu  profiter  du  sejour 

de  votre  Seigneurie  a  St.  Petersbourg,  a  I'epoque  oii 

Peglise  celebre  la  delivrance  de  la  Russie  de  Tinva- 

sion  de  Tennemi  en  1812,  pour  vous  offrir  la  medaille 


SPLENDID    SPECTACLE. 


257 


instituee  en  commemoration  de  la  prise  de  Paris  en 
1814.  Sa  Majeste  Imperiale  m'a  en  consequence 
charge  de  vous  faire  parvenir  cette  .medaille,  en  vous 
priant  de  vous  en  decorer  pour  la  ceremonie  du  25  de 
ce  mois,  et  de  continuer  a  la  porter  en  souvenir  de  la 
campagne  glorieuse  qu'elle  rappelle,  et  a  laquelle  votre 
Seigneurie  a  pris  une  part  si  active  et  si  noble.  En 
m'acquittant  de  cet  ordre  de  sa  Majeste,  mon  auguste 
souverain,  j'ai  Thonneur  d'offi-ir  a  votre  Seigneurie  les 
assurances  de  ma  tres  haute  consideration. 

(Sign6)     "  Le  Prince  Volkonski. 

*'  A  Monsieur 
"  Le  Marquis  de  Londonderry'' 

The  officers  and  troops  of  the  regiments  in  garrison  at 
St.  Petersburgh  assembled  at  half  past  ten  within  the 
apartments  of  the  Palais  d'Hiver.  They  were  drawn  up 
in  the  different  rooms  in  columns,  or  in  divisions,  or  in 
line,  according  to  the  size  and  construction  of  them. 
The  remnant  of  the  grenadiers  of  1814,  amounting  to 
about  three  hundred,  who  had  been  at  the  capture  of 
Paris,  were  exclusively  ranged  on  each  side  of  the  mili- 
tary portrait  gallery,  in  which  place  the  most  solemn  part 
of  the  mournful  ceremony  was  afterwards  performed. 

The  different  corps  were  formed  regimentally,  with 
their  colours,  music,  drums,  and  officers  in  front. 
The  chevalier  gardes,  gardes  a  cheval,  hussars,  and 
artillery,  were  in  the  outer  rooms.  The  three  re- 
giments of  guards  mainly  occupied  la  salle  blanche 
and  the  great  supper-room  ;  the  general  officers,  staff, 
aides-de-camp  generaux,  and  other  military  officers  at 

VOL     I.  s 


258 


SPLENDID    SPECTACLE. 


S  ^ 


St.  Petersburgh  unattached,  were  assembled  in  the 
outer  corridor  to  the  salle  blanche,  I  was  directed  to  be 
at  the  palace  by  eleven,  but  was  a  few  moments  after 
the  time.  The  Emperor  had  arrived  and  asked  for 
me ;  I  was  hurried  through  the  crowd  of  officers  to  la 
salle  blanche^  where  I  found  his  Imperial  Majesty,  with 
all  his  cortege  and  suite,  commanding  the  troops  in 
person.  His  salutation  was  short — "  Mon  cher,  je  vous 
fais  mes  felicitations ;"  and  he  passed  on.  The  regi- 
ment of  Moscow  and  the  first  regiment  occupied 
the  room.  When  the  Emperor  had  inspected  the 
troops,  he  returned  to  the  Empress's  apartments,  to 
lead  her  and  the  Imperial  family  to  the  ceremony. 
She  came  forth  from  her  boudoir,  covered  with  jewels, 
surrounded  by  the  Grand  Duchess,  the  dames  and  de- 
moiselles d'honneur.  The  largest  brilliants  deco- 
rated her  head ;  her  robe  was  of  light-blue  velvet, 
trimmed  with  costly  ermine.  It  was  scarcely  pos- 
sible for  the  eye  to  rest  on  anything  but  diamonds 
and  pearls  in  this  dress  of  matchless  splendour,  so  well 
suited  to  the  grace  and  dignity  of  deportment  of  this 
noble  woman,  whose  matchless  person,  added  to  the 
action  of  her  arms,  and  the  display  of  her  beautiful 
hands,  render  her  an  object  the  contemplation  of 
which  one  could  hardly  leave.  Her  two  lovely  daugh- 
ters followed  her  like  two  attendant  angels ;  they  were 
clothed  in  the  palest  pink  velvet,  trimmed,  as  was  the 
robe  of  the  Empress,  with  ermine ;  on  their  heads  they 
wore  caps,  with  long  veils.  They  equalled,  but  never 
can  surpass,  their  mother  in  feminine  attraction.  The 
Empress  was  conducted  by  Prince  Charles  of  Prussia, 


V 


HIGH    MASS. 


259 


who  had  arrived  at  Petersburgh  on  a  visit,  and  was 
followed  by  the  Heritier  and  great  officers  of  state. 
The  Emperor  proceeded  and  received  them  at  the 
head  of  the  guards  in  la  salle  blanche. 

The  general  salute  was  electrifying.    Such  indescrib- 
able   sounds   of   warlike    instruments    are,    perhaps, 
rarely  or  never  heard  in  so  comparatively  confined  a 
space ;  but  the  sense  of  hearing  was  lost  in  that  of  sight. 
The   grandeur   and    appearance  of  the  troops,    who 
looked  superb  in  this  Imperial  residence  of  the  Czars ; 
the  stars  and  decorations;   the  splendid  uniforms  of 
the  military  and  staflT  officers  and  civil  charges  de 
cour ;    the  unrivalled  beauty  of  the  Empress  and  her 
daughters ;  the  variegated  colours  of  the  Russian  caps 
and  trains  of  the  dames  and  demoiselles  d'honneur ; 
the  costly  and  rich  ornaments  of  the  rooms,  where 
loads  of  gilt  plate  were  displayed  to  prepare  for  the 
supper  of  the  evening,  and  which  was  already  in  its 
place ;— these  united  objects  dazzled  and  bewildered 
the  thoughts,  and  I  feel  quite  persuaded  there  is  no 
court  in  the  world  that  can  exhibit  such  a  mass  of 
treasures. 

When  the  Emperor's  reception  of  her  Imperial  Ma- 
jesty at  the  head  of  the  troops  was  finished,  the  proces- 
sion moved  on  to  the  great  chapel  for  the  ceremony  of 
high  mass  and  the  Te  Deum,  which  was  to  be  per- 
formed by  the  MetropoUtan  of  Moscow  and  the  synod. 
It  was  a  solemn  thanksgiving  for  the  salvation  of  Rus- 
sia, and  during  the  prayers  the  guns  on  all  the  ram- 
parts of  the  castle  of  St.  Petersburgh  were  firing 
salutes.     At  the  altar,  in  advance  of  the  whole,  stood 

s  2 


■; 


I 


H 


260 


MOURNFUL    CEREMONY. 


BENEDICTION    OF    THE    COLOURS. 


261 


W 


4 


'i'f 


^ 


the  Emperor,  Empress,  and  Prince  Charles  of  Prussia ; 
the  Heritier  and  two  sisters  behind.  At  the  close  of 
the  mass,  those  present  fell  on  their  knees  during  tlie 
Te  Deum,  in  which,  as  it  appeared  to  me,  all  the 
high  priests  of  Russia  took  part;  they  were  clothed  in 
new  and  glittering  robes  of  scarlet  and  gold  embroi- 
dery, and  issued  out  of  the  sacristy,  bearing  emblems 
of  the  host,  the  blessed  bread,  the  salt,  and  all  tlie 
elements  of  their  religion.  At  the  close  of  one 
of  the  most  touching  anthems  I  ever  heard  chanted, 
the  Emperor  disappeared,  again  to  place  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  troops,  and  the  Imperial  family  and 
court  proceeded  to  the  gallery  of  military  portraits, 
where  the  church  service  to  the  memory  of  the  Em- 
peror Alexander  was  to  be  performed,  and  sacred  mu- 
sic was  plaintively  bewailing  the  loss  of  the  brave 
men  who  had  fallen  during  the  campaigns  of  1812, 
1813,  and  1814. 

When  the  head  of  the  procession  reached  the  gallery, 
having  passed  through  all  the  apartments,  (where 
select  detachments  of  non-commissioned  officers  and 
soldiers,  decorated  with  the  medals,  were  drawn  up,) 
a  guard  of  inspection  was  posted  at  the  gallery  en- 
trance ;  and  the  civilians,  and  military,  and  ladies  went 
to  the  right  and  left  through  other  adjoining  apart- 
ments, leaving  the  centre  door  of  the  gallery  to  be 
entered  alone  by  officers  wearing  the  medal  for  the 
campaigns,  the  guards  being  charged  to  let  no  man 
pass  without  this  decoration.  Passing  through  the 
door  with  Count  Orloff  and  General  Benkendorff,  I 
perceived  the  old  grenadiers  of  1813  and  1814,  with 


arms  reversed  in  gloomy  sadness,  drawn  up  on  each 
side  of  the  long  gallery  under  the  portraits  of  their  de- 
parted chief,  and  of  those  generals  whom  Providence 
had  still  spared.     These  fine  soldiers  contemplated  the 
passing  files  of  all  their  distinguished   commanders 
present  who  had  received  their  orders  of  merit.     The 
description  of  a  ceremony  so  solemn,  so  imposing,  and 
so   affecting,    surpasses  my  powers ;  and  it  is  impos- 
sible that  such   exhibitions   should   not  produce  the 
spirit  of  emulation,   and  a  lasting  impression  on  the 
great  military  nation  that  has  established  the  annual 
observance  of  them.     We  marched  to  the  top  of  the 
gallery  as  above  described,  and  there  the  high  priests 
were   assembled    before    the   portrait   of   Alexander. 
The  Empress  and  her  ladies,  the  Grand  Duchesses, 
the  Heritier,  and  Prince  of  Prussia,  stood  close  to  the 
Metropolitan  ;    the    general  officers    were    arranged 
according    to    rank.     Prayers   were    then    solemnly 
offered  up  by  more  than  one  hundred  priests  for  the 
Imperial    family,    and   for  the   continual   success  of 
the  Russian  arms.     Then  came  mournful  sounds  of 
lamentation    for   the    dead ;    the   deep-toned    sacred 
melody  of  the  choristers  followed,  and  the  mixture  of 
agonising  moans  and  plaintive  notes  vibrated  to  the 
heart ;  the  sacred    habits    of  the  priests,  the  tapers, 
the  incense,  all  added  to  the  impression  of  this  service 
for   the  dead.     The    benedictions  of  the  colours  fol- 
lowed ;  and   then  the  Emperor,  placing  himself  with 
his  drawn  sword  on  the   riglit  of  the  Metropolitan, 
proceeded  witli  him  (the  advanced  guard  being  formed 
by  all  the  priesthood)  along  the  front,  and  between 


I!i> 


<ii|i 


ill 


m 


262 


BENEDICTION    OF    THE    COLOURS. 


the  ranks  of  the  soldiers, — this  greatest  dignitary  of 
the  Greek  Church  giving  to  them  all  his  benediction 
as  he  passed.  The  Empress  and  the  cortege  followed ; 
the  troops  receiving  the  whole  with  presented  arms 
on  the  return  to  the  gallery  of  portraits,  and  within 
the  place  marked  off  for  the  altar.  The  body  of  the 
priesthood,  being  saluted  by  the  Imperial  family  and 
circle,  disappeared.  They  then  proceeded  to  the 
Marble  Hall,  where  all  officers  wearing  the  medal 
were  received  and  paid  their  court.  The  assembled 
troops  then  presented  arms  again,  and  the  old  grena- 
diers of  1813  and  1814,  from  the  military  gallery^ 
filed  off  singly,  and  were  complimented  by  their 
brethren  in  arms. 

After  the  veteran  grenadiers,  the  other  corps 
marched  on  in  succession.  The  Imperial  family 
retired  to  their  apartments,  and  this  great  ceremony 
ended. 


SINGULAR    CEREMONY. 


263 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


Singular  Ceremony— The  Metropolitan— The  Procession— Bless- 
ing the  Waters  — Dangerous  Superstition —The  Empress's 
Rooms— Splendid  Entertainments — The  Imperial  Court Pub- 
lic Decorum— Deat..  •  lexander— Heroism  of  Nicholas— His 
Military  Knowledtje— His  Universal  Proficiency. 

I  WAS  invited  shortly  after  to  another  singular  and 
extraordinary  ceremony,  which  is  one  of  the  supersti- 
tious rites  of  the  Greek  religion.  The  Gth  of  January, 
old  style,  is  the  day  set  apart  throughout  the  empire 
for  blessing  the  waters.  In  every  city  and  place 
in  Russia,  this  solemn  religious  ceremony  takes  place 
on  this  day.  I  repaired  by  invitation  to  the  palace 
at  eleven,  and  was  placed,  as  before,  among  the  aides- 
de-camp  generaux  of  the  Emperor.  Lady  London- 
derry had  received  a  special  letter  of  request  from 
Prince  Volkonski  to  attend  at  the  Empress's  apart- 
ments to  see  the  procession,  and  afterwards  to  inspect 
her  Imperial  Majesty's  jewels.  The  troops  of  the 
regiments  of  the  guards  in  garrison  at  St.  Petersburgh 
were  formed  pretty  much  in  the  same  manner  as 
tliey  were  on  New  Year's  day.  They  lined  the 
saloons  of  the  Palais  dTIiver,  and  the  officers  assem- 


264 


THE    METROPOLITAN. 


w 


*!' 


mi 


bled,    as  before,  in  la  salle  blanche.     At  eleven   the 
Emperor,  accompanied  by  Prince  Charles  of  Prussia 
and  the  Heritier,  arrived,  and  the  column  of  proces- 
sion  was  formed  to  the  palace  chapel,   where   higli 
mass  was  performed.     On  this  occasion  (the  only  one 
in  the  year)  the  Archbishop  or  Metropolitan  performs 
the    service    himself,    and    it  is    done   with    all  due 
pomp  and  solemnity.     The  high  priests  and  clergy 
assisting  were  clothed  in  more  costly  robes  than  on 
any  former  occasion.      The    Metropolitan,  who  is  a 
man  of  small  stature,  seemed  buried  under  the  weight 
of  his  garments  of  gold,   and  of  his  cap,  in  which 
every  jewel  of  the    East  seemed  to   be  concentred. 
The  Emperor  and  Prince  Charles  stood  together  near 
the   altar,   the    Grand  Duke  behind  them ;  and   all 
others   present  formed    a  circle   around    them.      No 
ladies  were  present.     The  mass  being  ended,  and  the 
Te  Dewn    chanted,  the  great  banners  of  the  chapel 
were  taken  up  by  the  attending  clergy,  to  be  borne 
out  upon  the  waters,  together  with   the  sacred  cups, 
books,  and  the  symbol  of  the  host,  which  were  lifted 
up  and  carried  by  the  priests.    The  young  boys  of  the 
corps  of  choristers  next  struck  up  a  hymn  of  praise, 
and  formed  three  abreast,  followed  by  the  gentlemen 
singers   in    like   order.     They  marched  through   tlie 
whole  of  the  rooms  of  the  palace  to  the  great  stair- 
case leading  to  the  Neva.     After  the  above,  appeared 
all  the  sacred  emblems  borne  by  the  priests,  two  and 
two,    of  whom   more   than  three   hundred    filed    oft', 
carrying    these    offerings    and    rich    religious   relics^ 
Their   rear  was   closed  by  the  Metropolitan  himself, 


% 


% 


THE    PROCESSION. 


265 


witli  train-bearers,  &c.  After  the  head  dignitary  of 
the  church,  the  Emperor  came  in  Cossack  dress,  with 
his  head  bare;  behind  him  folio  wed.  his  aides-de-camp 
generaux,  and  all  the  civil  and  military  officers  of  the 
empire  in  the  capital.  On  coming  to  the  grand 
door  of  the  palace,  the  cold  was  near  twenty-eiglit 
degrees,  and  the  snow  was  falling  in  thick  masses ;  the 
atmosphere  was  dense  and  foggy,  and  yet,  notwith- 
standing all  this  inclemency  of  weather,  countless 
multitudes  appeared  on  the  quay,  on  the  banks,  and 
on  the  waters  of  the  Neva.  The  Emperor  stopped 
on  the  staircase,  and  ordered  Prince  Charles  of 
Prussia  and  the  Grand  Duke  not  to  go  out  of  doors 
and  expose  themselves  to  the  tremendous  weather 
that  was  raging.  They  obeyed  his  Imperial  Majesty's 
orders.  He  was  kind  enough  to  address  me  in  a 
similar  strain.  I  replied  that  his  Imperial  Majesty 
had  been  so  obliging  as  to  place  me  among  his 
aides-de-camp  generaux,  and  I  trusted  he  would  allow 
me  to  attend  his  person  as  they  did. 

We  left  the  palace,  and  walked  in  solemn  proces- 
sion, amongst  the  mass  of  the  inhabitants  of  St. 
Petersburgh,  without  cloaks,  and  bareheaded,  in  splen- 
did uniforms  and  diamond  decorations,  in  cordons 
of  all  colours,  and  in  uniforms  of  all  classes  and 
descriptions,  in  one  of  the  most  pitiless  snow-storms 
that  ever  descended  from  the  heavens,  along  the 
terrace  and  quays  of  the  Neva,  for  a  considerable 
distance,  until  we  were  opposite  the  windows  of  the 
Empress,  where  her  Imperial  Majesty  and  her  ladies 
were  assembled.     We  then  turned   to  the  Neva,  and 


li 


266 


BLESSING    THE    WATERS. 


f 


1 1 

-5 


II 


and  proceeded  on  the  ice  to  a  temple  which  was  erected 
on  the  river.  The  clergy  and  the  head  of  the 
corthge  assembled  around  and  within  it.  A  loud 
mass  was  then  sung ;  at  its  conclusion  the  Metropo- 
litan, taking  off  his  upper  garments  and  seizing  a 
large  basin  and  tankard,  descended  a  staircase  leading 
from  the  inside  of  the  temple  to  the  water,  a  large 
hole  having  been  made  in  the  ice  under  the  temple. 
His  eminence  shortly  appeared  from  below,  having 
blessed  the  waters ;  and  bearing  them  in  the  jug 
and  salver,  he  proceeded  to  the  Emperor,  who 
plunged  his  face  and  hands  into  the  vessel ;  then 
the  grand  priest,  dipping  a  brush  into  the  water, 
sprinkled  his  Imperial  Majesty  all  over,  invoking 
at  the  same  time  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  Russia 
and  its  monarch.  The  Metropolitan  next  proceeded 
to  sprinkle  and  give  his  benediction  to  all  the  standards 
and  colours  which  had  been  collected  round  the  tem- 
ple, and  afterwards  to  the  officers,  civil  and  military, 
who  were  besprinkled  in  a  similar  manner.  During 
this  period  salutes  of  artillery  from  tlie  fortress  con- 
tinued to  be  discliarged,  but  the  multitude  remained 
in  breathless  awe  and  silence.  One  of  the  officiating 
clergy  had  been  despatched,  so  soon  as  the  Metro- 
politan had  blessed  the  waters  of  the  Neva,  to  the 
Empress  within  the  palace,  bearing  vessels  and  goblets 
for  her  Imperial  Majesty  and  the  ladies,  filled  with 
the  holy  water ;  and  when  the  procession  resumed  its 
way  back  to  the  palace,  the  whole  populace  rushed 
to  the  temple  to  drink  or  to  touch  the  waters. 

It  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  extreme  superstition 


A^. 


<v 


DANGEROUS    SUPERSTITION. 


267 


which  pei-vades  the  lower  class  of  Russians,  even  to 
this  day,  in  regard  to  this  ceremony.     Children  that 
are  born  on  the  night  preceding  this. consecration,  are 
sent  with  their  nurses  and  plunged  into  this  hole  under 
the  ice,  and  it  is  believed,  if  they  endure  it,  (which 
many  do  not,)  that  they  will  be  free  from  every  danger 
through    life.     The    little    ones   occasionally   perish 
from  the    effiscts   of  this   experiment,   and   in  some 
instances  the  frozen  hands  of  those  who  plunge  them 
under  the  waters  are  not  able  to  hold  them,  when 
slipping  from  their  grasp  they  perish,  and  are  imme- 
diately considered   as   angels    on   high.     How   long 
this   will    last  amongst  a  people  whose   nobles    and 
higher  classes   are   every  day  rejecting  the  obsolete 
and  barbarous  notions  of  early  times,  it  is  impossible 
to   pronounce.    Nothing,    however,   can    excite  more 
astonishment  and  wonder  in  the  mind  of  a  Protestant 
Christian  than  the  scenes  I  have  above  described. 

In  this  ceremony  of  blessing  the  waters  at  the 
pavilion  on  the  Neva,  the  children  carry  thick  birch 
brushes  and  bundles  of  clean  linen,  and  the  eflfect  of 
seeing  them  all  flocking  and  running  to  the  ceremony, 
urged  on  by  superstition  such  as  this,  is  very  remark- 
able. 

The  Emperor,  cold  and  wet  to  the  skin,  with  all 
the  corthge  covered  with  snow,  and  entirely  drenched, 
in  all  their  splendid  ribbons,  stars,  &c.,  now  returned 
to  the  palace,  the  troops  and  procession  falling  in  as  at 
first,  the  standards  and  colours  being  carried  back  to  the 
centre  of  their  corps.  After  a  general  salute,  the 
clergy,   priests,  and  choristers  disappeared  with  their 


268 


THE    EMPKESS'S    KOOMS. 


Sl'LENDID    ENTERTAINMENTS. 


269 


i  1 


II 


symbols  and  emblems  into  the  sacristy  behind  the 
altar ;  the  troops  of  the  guards  filed  off  before  the  Em- 
peror and  Prince  Charles.  His  Imperial  Majesty 
next  went  to  the  apartments  of  the  Empress,  where  a 
dejeuner  a  lafourchette  was  provided  ;  and  her  Impe- 
rial Majesty  and  the  Grand  Duchesses,  with  the 
greatest  kindness  and  amiability,  displayed  all  their 
jewels,  and  whatever  was  costly  and  precious  within 
their  apartments,  to  their  visiters.  Nothing  can  sur- 
pass the  exquisite  beauty,  comfort,  luxury,  and  riches 
of  the  Empress's  rooms.  You  see  in  all  her  arrange- 
ments not  only  la  grande  dame^  la  belle  gracieuse^  la 
mere  tendre,  but  a  moral  and  religious  characteristic 
is  observable  in  all  that  surrounds  her.  She  seems 
to  be  more  innately  good  than  any  person  I  ever 
contemplated.  In  an  outlet  from  these  delicious 
rooms  is  a  small  cabinet  entirely  dedicated  to  her 
Majesty's  private  devotions.  In  this  a  cast,  after 
death,  of  her  beautiful  mother,  the  late  Queen  of 
Prussia,  is  placed,  with  crucifixes  and  sacred  por- 
traits :  the  simplicity  of  the  retreat  is  a  striking  con- 
trast to  the  fairy  abode  adjoining  it. 

We  were  summoned  from  a  close  inspection  of  trea- 
sures which  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  adequately 
to  point  out,  to  attend  the  Emperor  again,  who  was  pre- 
paring to  inspect  the  corps  des  cadets  nobles,  who  were 
assembled,  after  the  departure  of  the  garrison,  in  la 
salle  blanche  for  this  purpose.  They  had  dined  in 
the  palace,  and  were  now  formed  in  columns  and 
divisions  for  review.  The  Prince  of  Oldenburg  was 
at  their  head.     The  Emperor  in  person  took  the  com- 


mand of  these  young  men ;  and  it  was  with  consider- 
able  surprise  I  saw  him  not  only  manoeuvre  them  in 
column  and  in  line,  but  actually  put  them  through 
the  manual  and  platoon  exercises  as  perfectly  as  the 
major  or  adjutant  of  any  battalion  in  his  service. 
Having  kept  them  at  drill  about  half  an  hour,  his 
Imperial  Majesty  ordered  them  to  be  marched  off. 
It  was  singular  and  interesting,  as  regarded  the  Em- 
peror in  this  spectacle,  to  observe  his  second  son,  the 
young  Grand  Duke  Constantine,  fall  in,  dressed  as  a 
cadet,  and  exercised  as  any  other  of  the  regiment,  and 
the  little  Grand  Dukes  Michael  and  Nicholas  acting  as 
pivot  sergeants  during  the  movements.  The  Emperor 
now  gave  us  a  conge  with  the  greatest  affability. 

It  may  not  now  be  wholly  uninteresting  to  give  a 
sliglit  sketch  of  the  society  and  manners  of  the  court 
and  capital.     Brilliant  as  all  the  Imperial  receptions 
are,  refulgent  in  costliness  and  luxuries,  planned  with 
the  greatest  order  and  etiquette,  I  must  also  affirm 
tliat  the  entertainments  given  by  the  nobles,  the  high 
court  officers,  and  the  ambassadors  of  foreign  courts 
in  the  capital,  are  no  less   astonishing  for  their  ex- 
pense and  splendour,    and  very  far  exceed  those  of 
any  other  capital  in  Europe.     I  think  it  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  account  for  this.    The  sovereign  gives  the  abso- 
lute tone  and  style  to  everything  connected  with  the 
empire ;  how  impressive,  then,  must  be  his  example  on 
those  who  are  daily  and  hourly  under  his  personal 
notice  and  observation!     Nicholas,  though  most  tern- 
perate  and  moderate  in  his  own  tastes    and  habits, 
has   been    thoroughly    initiated  into    all    the  pomp 


m 


270 


THE    IMPERIAL    COURT. 


PUBLIC    DECORUM. 


271 


IM 


I 


li 


and  grandeur  of  the  countries  of  Southern  Europe. 
With  an  ardent  desire  to  establish  rapid  civilisation, 
and  with  the  powers  of  a  large  private  treasury,  he  has 
judged  it  right  (and  with  sound  judgment)  to  frame 
the  model  of  his  Imperial  court,  and  all  its  attendant 
paraphernalia,  on  the  most  magnificent  scale,  to 
strike  with  respect  and  admiration  those  who  come  to 
examine  Russia  under  the  delusive  notion  of  its  being- 
behindhand  in  modern  refinements,  or  in  the  strictest 
decorum  of  morals  and  manners,  or  in  any  way  defi- 
cient in  those  usages  du  monde  which  are  observed  and 
honoured  in  the  polished  circles  of  Paris  or  London. 
In  like  manner  I  should  say  that  the  Empress,  born 
with  every  feminine  grace,  has  established  a  system  of 
fashion,  appearance,  and  dress  in  the  circles  of  the 
court,  which,  spreading  from  the  centre  of  attraction 
throughout  the  empire,  is  wisely  calculated  to  form 
and  foster  the  elegance  and  the  progress  of  improve- 
ment in  the  provinces  and  distant  districts  of  Russia. 
There  is  a  third  point  of  far  more  importance, 
which,  from  the  example  set  by  the  present  august 
family,  has  spread  its  influence  far  and  wide,  and  is 
of  incalculable  moral  advantage  to  every  part  of  it 
— I  mean  the  example  afforded  by  the  Imperial  family 
of  moral,  conjugal,  and  domestic  affection  and  happi- 
ness. 

To  act  in  pursuance  of  these  high  duties  is  now  be- 
come the  fashion,  and  is  the  indispensable  requisite  and 
passport  to  that  sort  of  kindness  and  favourable  recep- 
tion which  every  one  strives  to  receive  at  the  hands 
of  his    sovereign.      In    this    wonderful    country   so 


complete  is  this  system,  that  what  are  denominated 
apparent  liaisons,  which  go  beyond  common  atten- 
tion and  friendsliips,  are  hardly  known  in  society,  and 
are  treated,  when  they  exist  occasionally,  with  so 
much  coldness  in  tlie  highest  quarter,  that  they  are 
soon  abandoned.  There  is  no  doubt  that  this  example 
of  conjugal  bliss  lias  diffused  itself  with  the  liappiest 
effect  throughout  Iiis  Imperial  Majesty's  dominions. 

I  could  not  lielp  expressing  one  day  to  a  Russian 
nobleman  my  astonishment  at  the  moral  order  that 
reigned,  not  only  in  the  saloons,  but  in  the  theatres, 
public  places,  and  streets  of  St.  Petersburgh,  wherJ 
no  light  conduct  ever  meets  the  eye,  and  where  you 
can  take  your  wife  and  daugliters  to  all  places  of  pub- 
lie  entertainment,  as  free  from  the  possibility  of  their 
witnessing  improper  gestures  or  behaviour,  as  if  you 
were  taking  them  in  England  to  places  of  worship. 

The  count  said  to  me,  -  We  owe  all  our  present 
order,  morality,  and  religion  to  him  who  guides  this 
colossal  country.     But  such  is   the  nature  of  Russia 
and  her  people,  that  if  we  were  to  see  an   Empress 
Catherine  again  upon  the  throne,  and  that  she  was, 
as  formerly,  to  have  the  same  description  of  court,  and 
of  similarly  relaxed  morality,   Russia  would  directly 
imitate,  once  more,  the  fatal  example  that  would  thus 
be  oflTered  to  her  observation.     In  fact,  the  Russians 
look  on  their  Emperor  as  God's  vicegerent  on  earth. 
So  long  as  Nicholas   is   popular,  his   power  is  un- 
equalled  and  uncontrolled,  and  the  connexion  of  re- 
ligion with  the  source  from  which  all  worldly  honours 
and  greatness,  rewards  and  punishments,  flow,  renders 


272 


DEATH    OK    ALEXANDEU. 


HEROISM    OF    NICHOLAS. 


273 


i! 


him  the  all-in-all  of  that  vast  region,  which  lie  de- 
votedly loves,  and  which  is  deeply  sensible  that  it  has 
never  been  so  great  or  prosperous  as  under  his  able, 
just,  and  benignant  sway." 

Much  may  be  attributed  to  the  personal  bearing  and 
popularity  of  Nicholas,  who  is  placed  by  Providence 
in  the  government  of  this  vast  empire,  and  who  is  gra- 
cious, benevolent,  distinguished,  and  beloved,  as  Alex- 
ander was.  There  is  an  indescribable  control  and 
fascination  in  his  every  act,  gesture,  and  command, 
that  appears  to  have  been  granted  for  the  achievement 
of  great  ends  and  for  particular  purposes.  Even  those 
who  were  most  attached  to  the  former  Emperor 
admit  that  his  qualities  did  not  comprehend  that  per- 
fection in  the  art  of  ruling  which  seems  to  be  inhe- 
rent and  especially  bestowed  on  the  Emperor  Nicholas. 
It  is  credibly  reported  that  one  of  the  chief  causes  of 
Alexander's  untimely  illness  and  subsequent  death, 
when  he  went  to  the  Sea  of  Azof,  arose  from  his  deej) 
moral  affliction  at  discovering  that  the  conspiracy 
among  a  large  number  of  the  officers  of  his  army  had 
arrived  at  a  height  so  unexpected  and  mortifying ;  and 
so  perfect  was  the  benevolence  of  his  heart  and  disposi- 
tion, that  though  in  possession  of  positive  evidence  of 
the  treason,  and  of  a  certified  list  of  the  traitors,  he  felt 
such  attachment  to  many  of  them,  that  he  could 
not  believe  in  their  perfidy,  although  it  was  sub- 
stantiated by  undeniable  proofs  in  tiie  hands  of  the 
most  confidential  officers  near  his  own  person.  Dr. 
Wylie,  a  Scotchman,  and  a  most  able  and  experienced 
physician,  had    always    been  the  principal    medical 


attendant   upon  Alexander,   and   enjoyed    his  entire 
confidence  during  all  his  military  campaigns  •  and  it 
is  owing  to  the  exertions  of  this  eminent  professional 
man,  that  the  army  hospitals  tliroughout  the  Russian 
empire  have  arrived  at  their  present  peculiar  perfec- 
tion.    This  gentleman,  who  attended  Alexander   in 
Ins  last  moments,  has  written  full  and  ample  details 
of  the  main  causes  of  his  Imperial  master's  illness  and 
unexpected  death;    hitherto    they   have    been    kept 
secret  from  the  world.     But  if  a  time  shall  ever  arrive 
when  these  details  may  be  unfolded,  they  will  por- 
tray  I  doubt  not,  the  benign  generosity  and  goodness 
of  Alexander's   heart   in   an  extraordinary   manner 
Not  less  rare  are  the  qualities  of  his  successor,  though 
of  a  diflTerent  stamp   and  mould.     But  what  rooted 
Nicholas  in  the  affections  of  his  people,  was  the  heroic 
courage  and  ability  he  displayed  in  seizing  possession  of 
the  sceptre  and  the  empire,  at  a  moment  when  perfidy 
confusion,  and  a  band  of  traitors,  placed  the  Imperial 
diadem  in  jeopardy.     It  is  not  necessary  -here  to  go 
into  these   events,  which,  from    their  recent   occur- 
rence, are  known  to  all :  suffice  it  to   say,  that  the 
glory  which  covered  Nicholas  at  that  memorable  epoch 
has  established  him  for  ever  in  the  hearts  of  his  peo- 
ple.     It    would    be    doing    him    injustice    to    ima- 
gine  that  he  was  himself  satisfied  with  these  early 
exhibitions  of  firmness  and  magnanimity.     His  per- 
severing  labours   in   every  department  of  the   state 
are  remarkable  and  worthy  of  record.    To  speak  of  what 
immediately  came  under  my  own  observation  may  be 
interesting  from  its  correctness-to  state   afterwards 

VOL    I. 


iill 


274 


HIS    MILITARY    KNOWLEDGE. 


I'll 
III 


what  I  have  been  told  by  others,  may  possibly  be  in- 
terpreted as  exaggeration.  But  first,  as  to  my  own 
remarks.  Having  been  thirty-five  years  a  soldier,  I 
ought  in  some  degree  to  be  enabled  to  form  a  judg- 
ment of  commanders  in  the  field.  I  saw  the  Emperor 
Nicholas,  as  I  have  stated  in  the  early  part  of  this  Me- 
moir, manceuvre  twelve  thousand  cavalry  ;  he  was 
unassisted  by  any  staff*  officer  or  aide-de-camp ;  he 
directed  the  general  officers  of  brigade,  colonels  of 
corps,  nay,  the  adjutants,  pivots,  and  markers,  precisely 
as  the  most  accurate  and  experienced  practical  drill 
officer  could  do ;  he  corrected  all  mistakes,  and  dis- 
covered and  lectured  publicly  on  the  error.  It  may, 
however,  be  said,  that  his  Imperial  Majesty  has 
always  devoted  himself  to  cavalry  tactics — be  it  so. 
I  next  saw  him  manoeuvre  thirty  thousand  infantry. 
He  called  the  generals  to  the  front,  gave  them  verbally 
the  disposition  he  had  conceived,  and  then  formed  the 
attacking  and  defending  corps.  He  took  the  whole 
general  direction  of  every  change  of  position  and  ope- 
ration ;  and,  finally,  because  some  partial  movement 
failed,  he  called  his  generals  and  officers  together,  and 
read  them  an  instruction  of  nearly  an  hour  long,  on  the 
duties  and  science  of  tactics.  This  is  not  all.  Every 
general  officer,  more  or  less,  may  be  enabled  to  move 
and  drill  great  bodies  of  troops ;  but  I  witnessed  in 
Nicholas  another  singular  trait.  On  one  of  the  mili- 
tary fete  days,  his  Imperial  Majesty  gave  a  dinner  in 
the  hall  of  the  Palais  d'Hiver  to  the  corps  des  cadets 
nobles.  After  the  repast,  the  corps  des  cadets,  a 
battalion   of  eight   hundred  to  one  thousand  strong. 


HIS    UNIVERSAL    PROFICIENCY.  275 

fell  in,  in  this  immense  saloon.     The  Emperor  pro- 
ceeded to  their  front,  and,  to  my  astonishment,  ma- 
noeuvred the  simple  battalion.     The  firings,  the  com- 
mon drill,  and  the  duties  even  of  a  sergeant-major, 
seemed   perfectly   familiar   to  them.      The   recollec- 
tion of  these  minutiae  of  instruction,  and  having  them 
so  entirely  at  command,    are  surely    very    remark- 
able ;  and,  upon  my  commenting  with  wonder  on  all 
this  precision,  I  was  informed  by  several  of  his  officers 
that  m  all  the  departments  of  the  state,  whether  of 
justice,  interior  or  foreign  affairs,  finances,  law,  artil- 
lery   or  marine  services,  the  Emperor  exhibited  equal 
proficiency.     Now  when  this  declaration  was  made  by 
one  and  all  who  surrounded  him,  and  when  one  con- 
siders  generally   that  ministers  and  officers  are   too 
apt  to  raise  themselves   into  importance   by  taking 
credit  for  doing  a  great  deal,  one  cannot  but  believe 
that   the  justice   they   all    render    to    the   Emperor 
Nicholas  is  his  due,  and  that  he  may  be  fairly  pro- 
nounced one  of  the  most  wonderfully  gifted  men  of  the 
age. 


END    OF    VOL.    1. 


LONDON ; 


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This  book  is  due  two  weeks  from  the  last  date  stamped 
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LIBRARY 


RECOLLECTIONS 


OF    A 


TOUR  IN  THE  NORTH  OF   EUROPE. 


I 


I 


RECOLLECTIONS 


OF   A 


TOUR  IN  THE   NORTH  OF   EUROPE 


IN  1836—1837. 


BY 


THE  MARQUIS  OF  LONDONDERRY. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
VOL.   IL 


LONDON : 

RICHARD  BENTLEY,  NEW  BURLINGTON  STREET, 
^vWihtx  in  ®rti{nars  to  in  iMaftstg- 

1838. 


' 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Empress — Splendour  of  Dresses — Masked  Ball — Grand 
Dinners  — Objectionable  Custom — The  Theatres — Ice  Moun- 
tains—The Grand  Duchess  Helen— Audience  of  the  Emperor 
— Conversation  with  him — His  Majesty's  Opinions — Departure 
from  Petersburgh — Count  Zubouf        .  .  Page   1 


CHAPTER  XX. 


LONDON: 

IBOTSON  AND  FALMER,  PRINTEH8. 
SAVOY  STREET,  STRAND. 


Severity  of  the  Weather — Distinguished  Attentions — Partition  of 
Poland — The  Polish  Nation — Reception  at  Warsaw — Mussul- 
men  Regiments — Picturesque  Bivouac — Poland  and  Russia — 
Departure   from    Warsaw — Kulisch — Breslau  —  Reception   in 


Prussia 


16 


jL  X  o  t3  ^  O 


i 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


PART    II. 

An  Historical  and  Statistical  Sketch  of  the  City  of  Petersburgh 


since  its  Foundation         .  •  •  •  . 

An  Historical  Sketch  of  Odessa,  its  Trade,  &c. 
Russian  Colonies  in  America  ... 

Cultivation  of  the  Vine,  the  Mulberry  Tree,  and  the  Sugar 

Cane,  in  the  Southern  Provinces  -  -  - 

Sketch  of  the  Labours  of  the  St.  Petersburgh  Academy  of 

Sciences,  during  the  years  1835  and  1836 
Technological  Schools  established  in  the  Altai  Manufactories 


36 
56 
66 

71 

80 
86 
90 
96 


Some  Account  of  Russian  Wools     -  -  -  - 

Trade  and  Commerce  of  Siberia       -  -  -  - 

Description   of  the  Fair  of  Nijny-Novgorod,  on  the  15th 
August,  1836      -  -  -  -  -  -103 

Herring  Fishery  in  the  Black  Sea  -  -  -     114 

Expedition  for  Metallurgical  Researches  in  the  Oural  Moun- 
tains      -  -  -  -  -  -  -115 

Precious  Stones  found  in  the  Oural  Mountains        -  •120 

The  Chase  in  the  Russo  North -American  Colonies  -     123 

Teachers*  Institution  at  St.  Petersburgh      -  -  -     129 

Increase  of  the  Population  in  Russia  -  -  -     132 

State  and  Progress  of  the  Trade   and  Internal  Commerce 
of  Russia  in  1835  -----     139 

Russian  Imports  and  Exports  in  1836  -  •  -     145 

A  Concise  Account  of  the  System,  Progress,  and  Present  State 

of  Public  Instruction  in  Russia  •  •  .     147 

An  Historical  Sketch  of  the  City  of  Riga,  its  Trade,  &c.  177 

The  Mines  in  Finland  -  •  •  .  -     183 


CONTENTS. 


Vll 


Some  Account  of  the  Province  of  Tobolsk                -             -  186 

Colonies  of  the  Government  of  SaratofF     -            -             -  193 
Recent  Voyages  and   Discoveries  of  Russian  Navigators  in 

Nova-Zembla  (Novaia-Zemlia)                 -            ^             .  199 

Some  Account  of  the  Trade  of  Kiakhta       -            -            .  207 

Permanent  Magnetical  Observations  in  Russia         -            -  216 

Blagodate  Iron  Mines          -----  222 

Fisheries  in  the  River  Oural           .            -            .            .  225 


MEMOIRS 


OP 


A  TOUR  IN  THE  NORTH  OF  EUROPE 


IN  1836-7. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


The  Empress  — Splendour  of  Dresses— Masked  Ball— Grand 
Dinners  -  Objectionable  Custom — The  Theatres— Ice  Moun- 
tains—The Grand  Duchess  Helen— Audience  of  the  Emperor 
— Conversation  with  him— His  Majesty's  Opinions — Departure 
from  Petersburgh— Count  Zubouf. 

In  relation  to  the  society  and  manners  of  the  beau 
monde,  the  Empress  must  be  supposed  to  bear  the 
most  distinguished  part.  The  amiability  of  her  acceuil 
is  not  more  peculiar  than  her  grace  and  fascination, 
and  she  introduces  a  degree  of  humour  and  pleasantry 
in  conversation,  which,  emanating  from  royalty,  (gene- 
rally supposed  to  be  wrapped  up  in  formality  and 
stiffness,)  does  not  fail  to  captivate  the  stranger  that 
approaches  her,  while  she  is  truly  adored  by  those 


VOL.    II. 


B 


I' 


SPLENDOUR    OF    DRESSES. 


/ 


who  share  in  her  daily  avocations,  and  are  greeted 
by  her  benevolent  smile. 

At  Court,  dress  and  the  toilette,  as  already  ob- 
served, are  devotedly  cultivated  both  from  taste 
and  policy.  Of  the  innumerable  balls  that  are 
given  during  the  season  at  St.  Petersburgh,  the  most 
select  are  the  private  balls  of  the  Empress  at  the 
Palais  AnishkofF.  To  none  of  these  are  the  diplo- 
matic corps  invited — a  prohibition  which  they  regret 
exceedingly.  There  are  from  eighteen  to  twenty  of 
these  delightful  reunions  in  the  season.  At  these 
fetes  no  lady,  much  less  an  elegante,  is  ever  seen  twice 
in  the  same  dress ;  and  so  entirely  without  crease  or 
crumple  do  their  exquisite  toilets  appear,  that,  to 
speak  metaphorically,  the  ladies  really  seem  all  to  be 
just  turned  out  of  a  bandbox.  Having  been  present 
at  several  of  the  balls,  I  can  from  my  own  know- 
ledge declare  that  I  saw  always  new  dresses  on  every 
fresh  occasion.  I  had  the  curiosity  to  ask  a  mother 
how  she  managed  with  two  and  sometimes  three 
daughters  who  were  occasionally  invited,  and  if  the 
expense  was  not  very  great  during  the  season.  She 
told  me,  rather  seriously,  that  each  gown  cost  two 
hundred  roubles,  that  was  six  hundred  for  her  daugh- 
ters every  night,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  for  her 
own,  and  multiplying  that  by  twenty  would  show 
the   cost.      These  sums   were   for  her  own   and  the 


i 


^'  r~A 


H 


'4 


t^ 


,0«mii 


A'^v  <i>£ 


aldisbed  "W  Richard  Keiitiej^.iaSd. 


MASKED    BALL.  3 

young  ladies'  dresses  only.  I  wished  further  to  know 
if  many  princes  and  nobles  did  not  think  it  inconve- 
nient, but  never  could  get  an  admission  or  a  com- 
plaint in  Russia  that  anything  was  Extravagant,  or 
that  there  was  want  or  distress  in  the  higher  circle, 
although  I  have  reason  to  believe,  that  mortgages  are 
not  unfrequent  on  the  estates  of  the  higher  orders,  in 
that  as  in  other  countries.  What  is  rather  singular, 
these  estates  are  managed  by  an  intendant,  to  whom  is. 
delegated  absolute  and  complete  direction,  and  neither 
wife,  son,  relation,  nor  connexion  ever  influenced  a 
Russian  nobleman  against  the  absolute  control  of  his 
intendant. 

In  addition  to  the  Empress's  private  balls,  she 
has  an  inventive  genius  for  every  gaiety  and 
diversion.  There  are  continual  petits  spectacles  at 
court.  These  are  performed  by  the  actresses  of  the 
theatres,  but  got  up  in  a  splendid  manner.  Here  again 
the  taste  for  dress  predominates,  and  the  actresses  are 
often  presented  with  new  dresses  from  the  Imperial 
purse,  every  night  of  their  performance.  Bals  costumes 
and  charades,  tableaux,  and  masques  successively 
occupy  the  attention  of  the  Imperial  court  in  their 
hours  of  recreation ;  and  during  this  year  a  most 
costly  and  splendid  bal  masque^  in  imitation  of 
a  Chinese  court,  was  got  up  by  the  Empress.  It 
far  surpassed  anything  of  the   kind   that  had  been 

B  2 


'  If 


4  GRAND    BALLS. 

before  attempted.  The  great  officers  of  state,  the 
princes,  nobles,  the  most  beautiful  and  distinguished 
women,  are  all  put  in  reqviisition,  through  an  intima- 
tion of  the  Grand  Chamberlain,  and  instead  of  re- 
luctance, there  is  an  eagerness  to  be  selected,  and  a 
chagrin  if  overlooked,  that  is  quite  remarkable :  all  vie 
with  each  other  in  expensive  dresses,  jewels,  and  de- 
corations. The  Russians  have  a  wonderful  art  and 
taste  in  making  the  most  of  everything  they  possess  ; 
they  improve  so  largely  on  original  ideas,  (suggested 
from  Paris  and  elsewhere,)  that  each  improvement 
appears  originality ;  and  I  give  the  palm  to  Petersburgh 
for  carrying  the  luxuries  of  fasliion  and  magnifi- 
cence to  a  higher  pitch  than  any  capital  I  have  ever 
visited. 

At  the  Palais  Anishkoff"  balls  the  Emperor  some- 
times dances  or  rather  walks  a  cotillon,  but  generally 
promenades  all  night,  conversing  in  the  most  affable 
manner  with  his  subjects.  The  Imperial  family  occa- 
sionally frequent  the  balls  of  the  foreign  ambassadors, 
and  of  the  most  distinguished  of  their  own  nobility. 
This  benevolent  familiarity  gives  great  and  constant 
iclat  to  the  court.  The  large  dinners  of  the  corps  diplo- 
matique and  of  the  nobles  far  surpass  those  at  which 
I  have  been  present  in  any  other  court.  The  convert 
is  seldom  for  less  than  fifty  or  sixty  persons.  The 
palaces  in  size  and  decoration  are  universally  sump 


GRAND    DINNERS.  5 

tuous.     The  attendance  of  servants  is  peculiar,  two 
for  each  guest  being  the  rule,  (in  livery,)  besides  the 
pages  and  other  servants;  for  the  above  number  of 
guests,  therefore,  there  are  at  least  one  hundred  ser- 
vants.    At  these  great  dinners  from  eight  hundred  to 
one  thousand  lights  are  but  a  small  illumination.     I 
should  be  afraid  to   say  how  many  I  have  counted  at 
some  of  the  dinners.     The  dinner  is    always  served 
round.     Wines  of  all  sorts  are  circulated  in  the  same 
manner :  but  on  the  dessert  the  greatest  expense  and 
attention   are   bestowed.      Petersburgh    can   produce 
from  its  hot-houses  and  artificial  means,  even  during 
winter,  the  finest  fruit  imaginable.    The  flowers  I  con- 
sider to  be  inferior  to  ours.     Before  the  dinner,  there 
is    universally  a  sort  of   luncheon    in  an  anteroom 
for  the  gentlemen,   by  way  of  giving  a  craving  to 
the  stomach  and  sharpening  the   appetite.     At   this 
no  ladies  appear.     It  consists  generally  of  caviar,  (so 
renowned  in  this  country  for  its  perfection,)  anchovies, 
dried  salt  salmon,   cheese,  and  articles  of  similar  de- 
scription, with  liqueurs,  cognac,  eau  de  vie,  &c.     This 
custom  would  be  more  honoured  in  the  breach  than 
in  the  observance,  as  the  gentlemen  return   to  the 
room  where    the  ladies  are  assembled,  eating  these 
unsavoury  morsels,  and  talking  to  the  fair  sex,  as  if 
wholly   unconscious  of  the    disagreeable  odour   that 
arises  from  them.     I  condemn  the  practice,  decidedly. 


OBJECTIONABLE    CUSTOM. 


« 


I 


It  affords  no  society,  it  cannot  be  wholesome;  the 
exciting  food  could  be  served  round  (if  desired) 
when  all  are  at  table ;  but  this  ambulant  eating  with 
greasy  fingers,  and  then  parading  with  unwashed 
mouths  amongst  the  fair  sex,  do  not  correspond  with 
the  general  gallantry  of  the  Russians. 

The  process  before  dinner,  to  which  I  have  al- 
luded, is  called  the  Schalchen.  The  hours  of  meals 
at  Petersburgh  are  much  earlier  than  in  London, 
but  I  am  not  sure  that  the  arrangements  are 
better ;  a  quarter  to  four  or  five  is  the  usual  dinner 
time,  from  which  you  are  always  liberated  before 
eight.  No  assembly  or  ball  begins  before  twelve,  so 
that  you  return  home  from  dinner  totally  at  a  loss  for 
occupation  until  the  four  hours  have  elapsed  which 
shall  readmit  you  into  society.  It  is  true  that  the  thea- 
tres may  occupy  the  intervening  time.  But  as  there  is 
no  great  variety  in  the  representations,  you  cannot 
amuse  yourself  very  often  with  this  spectacle.  Tlie 
balls  are  without  number  during  the  season,  but  there 
is  seldom  more  than  one  splendid  one  every  night, 
which  embraces  the  whole  of  the  best  society.  All  can 
see  and  be  seen  together — an  immense  advantage  over 
our  hot  and  crowded  squeezes  in  London,  on  the  same 
night,  where  half  the  time  is  lost  in  running  from  one 
house  to  the  other,  to  say  nothing  of  your  being  some- 
times half  the  night  in  the  street. 


THE    THEATRES. 


Amongst  the  most  singularly  sumptuous  balls  I 
witnessed,  I  should  enumerate  those  at  Baron  Fiquel- 
monets,  M.  de  Baranthe,  the  Woronzoff",  Dashkoff, 
the  Sousakonnet,  the  Bierolowski,  Bielozeski,  the 
Razumowski,  and  various  others.  The  finest  din- 
ners were  at  Count  Nesselrode's,  Prince  Butera's, 
Lavall's,  Wolkonski,  &c.,  and  all  the  ambassadors. 
I  have  mentioned  the  theatres ;  these  are  all  under 
the  immediate  charge  of  the  court.  They  are  placed 
upon  a  footing  of  the  greatest  decorum  and  propriety. 
Ladies  and  gentlemen  always  go  dressed,  and  all 
oflScers  in  full  uniform.  In  Russia  no  military  man 
ever  wears  coloured  clothes.  A  young  friend  of  mine 
asking  a  Russian  oflficer  if  he  always  wore  his 
uniform,  his  answer  was,  "  I  was  born  and  shall  die 
in  it."  The  great  advantage  of  this  exactitude  of 
appearance  in  the  theatre  is,  that  the  assemblage 
has  an  air  of  grandeur,  display,  and  order.  The 
French  theatre,  called  Le  Theatre  Michel,  is  the 
most  fashionable.  The  boxes  are  let  for  the  season,  as 
at  the  Italian  Opera  in  London.  The  Alexander 
theatre  is  chiefly  for  Russian  representation  and 
ballets.  This  is  of  large  dimensions  ;  but  a  new 
theatre,  opened  in  1836,  under  the  immediate  direc- 
tion of  the  Emperor  Nicholas,  far  surpasses  the 
theatre  Alexander  in  extent  and  magnificence.  I  was 
present  at  its  opening ;  and  the   scene   I   witnessed 


1  I 


I 


8 


ICE    MOUNTAINS. 


was  remarkable.  It  was  lighted  with  thousands  of 
candles.  The  whole  of  the  court,  (en  grande  tenue,) 
the  assemblage  of  everything  brilliant  at  the  Russian 
capital,  the  corps  diplomatique,  with  all  their  decora- 
tions and  stars,  and  the  superior  officers  of  the 
army  and  guard,  with  their  varied  brilliant  uni- 
forms, (the  spectacle  being  itself  complimentary  to  the 
Emperor,  who  was  present,)  resembled  a  scene  of 
enchantment. 

The  corps  de  ballet  is  particularly  attended  to,  and 
even  here  nothing  escapes  Nicholas's  attention.  In 
*'The  Revolt  of  the  Seraglio,"  a  celebrated  ballet,  where 
a  number  of  females  are  drilled  and  manoeuvred  on 
the  stage,  so  anxious  was  the  Emperor  that  this 
should  be  done  in  the  greatest  perfection,  that  his 
Imperial  Majesty  and  the  Grand  Duke  Michael  con- 
descended to  attend  the  rehearsals,  and  to  give 
instructions  on  the  subject.  This  anecdote  will  show 
that  the  most  trivial  matters  connected  with  public 
exhibitions  do  not  escape  the  Imperial  attention. 

The  amusements  in  winter  are  going  en  traineau^ 
and  making  parties  to  the  Montagnes  des  Glaces,  Of 
this  singular  exhibition  it  may  be  well  to  give  a  short 
description.  The  ladies  and  gentlemen  proceed  in 
sledges,  or  carriages  on  sledges,  to  the  gardens  or 
places  of  rendezvous  where  these  montagnes  are 
prepared.      The    beaux    are  habited  and  dressed  as 


ICE    MOUNTAINS. 


9 


Laplanders,  and  they  are  furnished  with  a  very  small 
wooden  saddle  or  seat,  barely  big  enough  to  squat 
themselves  upon,  which  they  do  without  ceremony, 
raising  up  their  knees;  they  then  invite  the  ladies 
to  turn  their  backs  and  place  themselves,  with  their 
petticoats  drawn  close  around  them,  between  the 
legs  of  the  gentlemen,  sitting  just  before  him  on  the 
above-described  seat  or  saddle ;  the  arrangement  for 
the  excursion  is  then  complete.  The  wooden  seat 
with  its  occupiers  is  now  pulled  to  the  top  of  a 
frightful  precipice  of  ice,  formed  on  almost  a  perpen- 
dicular descent  of  forty  or  fifty  feet.  The  gentlemen 
and  ladies,  all  arranged  as  described,  are  next  preci- 
pitated down  this  frightful  abyss,  and  the  velocity  with 
which  tliey  are  hurled  down  gives  a  continued  impetus 
on  a  narrow  road  of  ice  below,  to  carry  the  daring 
adventurers  in  a  rapid  course  for  a  very  considerable 
distance. 

The  chevalier,  in  these  cases,  with  his  hands  covered 
with  leather  gloves,  regulates  and  steers  the  seat  on 
which  he  is  seated  with  his  beautiful  burthen.  On 
the  least  change  of  direction  or  sudden  movement,  the 
lady  has  no  resource  but  to  throw  herself  back  into 
the  arms  of  her  conductor  ;  and  while  delicacy  is 
certainly  shocked  by  the  situation  of  the  parties  in  this 
anmsement,  there  is  neither  grace,  beauty,  nor  any 
feminine  quality  exhibited  by  those   who  lend  them- 


/ 


10 


THE    GRAND    DUCHESS    HELEN. 


h* 


[■\' 


selves  to  the  performance,  and  they  run  serious  risk  of 
broken  bones,  disfigured  faces,  or  other  injury  for  life, 
in  a  display  of  recklessness  of  fear  and  danger  unsuited 
to  the  delicacy  of  the  female  sex. 

Another  great  winter  diversion  is  skating.  In  tliis 
the  Russians  greatly  excel,  and  a  large  square  railed 
in  on  the  Neva,  in  the  centre  of  the  English  quay,  is 
kept  constantly  swept  from  snow  and  preserved  in  high 
order  for  this  object.  The  ice  mountains  nevertheless 
carry  all  before  them,  as  the  ladies  universally  throng 
to  them.  Amongst  the  most  constant  visiters  was 
the  Grand  Duchess  Helen,  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Michael,  and  daughter  of  Prince  Paul  of  Wurtem- 
burg.  This  princess,  to  whom  I  have  before  alluded, 
is  no  doubt  endowed  with  great  beauty  and  extra- 
ordinary esprit.  It  is  said  that  she  is  the  best 
instructed  princess  in  Europe ;  she  is  charming  in 
conversation,  of  steady  conservative  principles,  and 
really  appears  to  know  more  of  English  politics  than 
those  who  are  deeply  plunged  in  its  intricacies. 
She  often  amusingly  ridiculed  the  bitterness  that 
existed  between  Liberals  and  Conservatives,  and  won- 
dered how  they  should  nevertheless  appear  as  good 
private  friends.  The  Russians  carry  feelings  of  dif- 
ference on  political  points  so  far,  that  they  are  all 
astonishment  to  see  those  of  different  parties,  when 
they  meet  in  their  capital,  in  amicable  intercourse.    A 


AUDIENCE    OF    THE    EMPEROR. 


11 


curious  anecdote  occurred  on  this  subject.  The  British 
ambassador  was  walking  one  day  arm-in-arm  with  an 
individual  notoriously  opposed  to  him  in  political 
opinions.  The  first  person  they  met  was  the  Emperor, 
who  conversed  with  both,  but  looked  amazed ;  shortly 
after  came  the  Empress  and  Grand  Duchesses,— they 
appeared  equally  much  surprised  ;  lastly  came  the 
Grand  Duke  Heritier,  who  equally  stared.  At  the 
Imperial  dinner  the  same  day  the  subject  was  the  great 
topic  of  conversation.  Prince  Lieven  was  asked  what 
he  thought  the  two  individuals  could  be  discussing. 
The  prince,  having  been  so  long  in  England,  and 
knowing  the  habits  there,  said  at  once,  "  Oh,  they 
were  conversing  on  their  mutual  county  interest,"  as 
was  actually  the  case.  "  Oh,"  but  they  said,  "  they 
were  arm-in-arm,"  and  this  mode  of  promenading  is 
never  adopted  by  men  in  Russia,  unless  they  are  very 
intimate,  which  may  possibly  arise  from  nearly  every- 
body being  dressed  in  uniform,  and  the  sword  on  the 
left  side  being  an  impediment  to  such  a  mode  of 
walking. 

On  the  8th  of  February  I  had  an  audience  of 
the  Emperor  Nicholas,  pour  prendre  conge.  He  re- 
ceived me  in  his  magnificent  suite  of  apartments  at 
the  top  of  the  Palais  d'Hiver.  You  wind  round  a 
circular  staircase  from  the  grand  reception-rooms  to 
arrive  at  the  immediate  suite  of  the  Emperor.     The 


12 


CONVERSATION    WITH    HIM. 


I 


<?- 


large  single  glass  windows  give  a  commanding  view 
over  the  Neva,  and  the  great  squares  of  the  capital ; 
and  nothing  is  wanting  to  add  to  the  luxury  and 
comfort  of  these  apartments.  The  Emperor  was 
dressed  in  his  military  greatcoat,  and  advanced  to 
me  with  the  utmost  condescension  and  kindness ; 
I  thanked  his  Imperial  Majesty  for  the  immeasu- 
rable favours  I  had  received ;  I  entered  fully  into 
expressions  of  gratitude,  because  I  really  felt  more 
than  I  could  express,  and  I  dwelt  much  at  length  on 
the  perfection  of  all  the  Russian  institutions  I  had 
visited, — on  the  apparent  wisdom  and  good  regulation 
that  pervaded  every  part  of  their  government, — on  the 
wonderfully  rapid  march  of  the  empire  towards  civi- 
lisation,— and  on  my  belief  that  in  no  otlier  country 
in  existence  did  the  sovereign  reign  more  completely 
in  the  hearts  and  afiections  of  his  people. 

"  Oui,  c'est  un  bon  pays ;  il  faut  me  rendre  cette 
justice,"  was  his  Imperial  Majesty's  short  reply. 

The  Emperor  then  entered  confidentially  into  his 
own  opinions  of  England — of  her  government  and  her 
relative  position  with  Russia — which,  however,  it  can- 
not be  expected  of  me  to  detail.  His  Imperial  Ma- 
jesty then  spoke  generally  of  foreign  affairs,  and, 
turning  to  his  table,  pointed  out  a  written  docu- 
ment of  many  sheets  of  paper,  saying,  "  You  see  there 
the  last  sacred  opinions  and  instructions  of  my  beloved 


HIS    MAJESTY  S    OPINIONS. 


13 


brother  Alexander,  founded  on  the  transactions  of  1814 
and  1815.     They  are  always  before  my  eyes;  to  them 
I  religiously  adhere,  aided,  as  I  hope  I  am,  by  the 
Supreme  Disposer  of  all  things ;    and*  nothing  shall 
make  me  depart  from  them."  The  Emperor  stated  this 
in  a  manner  that  carried  with   it  a  deep  conviction 
of  the  sincerity  with  which  he  spoke ;  and  then  breaking 
off  again,  he  said,  "  Mais,  parlous  de  votre  pays,  et  de 
vous-meme."      His  Imperial   Majesty  then  expressed 
himself  in  the  most  attached  manner  towards  England, 
and  said,  "  that  she  and  Russia  were  so  placed  geogra- 
phically by  Providence,  that  they  ought  always  to  un- 
derstand each  other,  and  be  friends ;  and  I  have  ever 
endeavoured  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  accomplish  it.  And 
really,"  added  the  Emperor,  "  I  have  so  much  love  for 
England,  that  when  the  journals  and  the  radicals  were 
abusing  me  so  outrageously,  I  had  the  greatest  possi- 
ble desire  to  put  myself  in  a  steam-boat  and  proceed 
direct  to  London,  (apprising,  of  course,  the  King  of 
my  intended  arrival,)  to  present  myself  amongst  rea- 
sonable and  fair-judging  Englishmen,  to  converse  with 
them,  and  to  show  them  how  unjustly  I  was  aspersed. 
It  is  my  ardent  wish  to  cultivate  peaceable  relations 
of  amity  with  all  powers.    I  want  interior  tranquillity, 
and  time   to  occupy  myself  with  the  important   ar- 
rangements .  necessary  to  consolidate  the  component 
parts  which  form  this  great  empire.     But  have  you 


I 


I 


IB 


)    !l 


14 


HIS    MAJESTY  S    OPINIONS. 


i 


If 


seen,"  he  added,  "  the  Abbe  de  Pradt's  book  on  the 
Russian,  Eastern,  and  Polish  question  ?  You  will 
see  developed  in  that  work  ideas  and  sentiments, 
as  if  I  had  written  them  myself,  and  you  are  quite  at 
liberty  to  tell  all  my  English  friends  that  you  heard 
from  my  own  mouth  that  such  were  my  own  decided 
opinions."  I  consider  myself  justified  from  these  ex- 
pressions in  giving  the  Emperor's  own  words  on  this 
part  of  our  conversation,  and  there  was  a  degree  of 
candour  in  his  bearing  that  could  not  be  mistaken. 

The  Emperor  then  took  leave  of  me,  after  a  long 
and  deeply-interesting  conversation  ;  and  I  must  own 
that  this  farewell  scene,  considering  all  the  circum- 
stances attending  it,  and,  above  all,  the  monarch  who 
impressed  it  on  my  mind,  occasioned  me  emotions  of 
which  the  remembrance  will  last  for  ever. 

We  left  Petersburgh  on  Thursday  the  9th  of  Fe- 
bruary, and  arrived  on  Monday  the  13th  at  Riga.  The 
road  was  an  entire  sheet  of  frozen  snow,  and  our  three 
carriages  were  on  sledges.  The  frost  being  very  severe, 
we  proceeded  with  great  velocity,  but  the  pitching  and 
tossing  over  the  rough  parts  of  the  road  partook  of  the 
motion  of  a  ship  at  sea. 

On  Tuesday,  the  14th,  we  remained  at  Riga  to  re- 
cruit from  our  great  fatigue,  and  to  place  our  carriages 
again  on  wheels,  as  the  frost  and  snow  had  disap- 
peared, which  occasioned  a  sudden  and  immense  dif- 


COUNT    ZUBOUFF. 


15 


ference  in  the  climate.  Our  sledges  at  Petersburgh 
cost  five  hundred  roubles,  and  sold  at  Riga  for  eighty- 
five,  which  may  be  a  hint  to  future  travellers. 

General  Count  Pahlen,  the  governor  of  Riga, 
waited  on  me  and  paid  us  every  marked  respect.  The 
town  is  chiefly  commercial,  and  exports  much  hemp, 
com,  and  timber;  the  houses  are  bad  and  old,  and 
exhibit  no  striking  or  remarkable  feature. 

On  Wednesday,  the  15th,  we  were  quartered  on  the 
road  from  Riga  to  Warsaw  at  Count  Zubouff^'s,  where 
we  saw  the  first  specimen  of  a  Russian  country  esta- 
blishment, than  which  nothing  could  be  more  hospitable 
and  agreeable.  The  Countess  was  a  charming  person , 
a  sister  of  Countess  Sophie  Modena.  She  did  the 
honours  with  captivating  grace,  and  everything  was 
in  a  style  of  great  comfort.  On  the  tables  in  the 
drawing-rooms  were  English  novels,  pamphlets,  and 
reviews,  and  I  was  surprised  by  accidentally  taking 
up  an  excellent  engraving  of  one  of  my  own  seats 
in  England.  The  Count  is  a  farmer,  and  superintends 
his  estate  himself.  He  is  a  person  of  great  consequence, 
and  much  looked  up  to  by  the  neighbouring  Polish 
nobles.  But  the  part  he  has  always  acted  has  been  most 
honourable  to  his  sworn  allegiance  to  the  Emperor. 

On  Thursday,  the  16th,  we  left  Count  Zubouff*,  and 
on  Friday  the  17th  were  lodged  for  the  night  at  Ma- 
nenssal. 


I 


16 


SEVERITY    OF    THE    WEATHER. 


i't 


.1 


U 


I 


\- 


r  . 


4 1 


I 


.\ 


I 


ft' 


ill'  ' 

ill 


^ 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Severity  of  the  Weather— Distinguished  Attentions — Partition  of 
Poland — The  Polish  Nation—  Reception  at  Warsaw — Mussul- 
men  Regiments — Picturesque  Bivouac — Poland  and  Russia — 
Departure  from  Warsaw  —  Kulisch  —  Breslau  —  Reception  in 
Prussia. 

The  route  to  Warsaw  is  good  even  at  present,  but 
when  the  chaussee  in  progress  is  completed,  it  will 
be  equal  to  the  Moscow  line.  The  post-horses  to  Riga 
were  excellent  ;  on  coming  into  Poland,  however, 
they  are  much  worse.  The  country  is  wretchedly 
poor  and  flat.  We  encountered  very  great  difiiculties 
and  hardships  from  the  severity  of  the  weather,  after 
we  resumed  the  wheels  of  our  English  carriages  at  Riga. 
More  violent  storms  of  snow,  and  more  intense  frost, 
than  I  could  ever  have  imagined,  assailed  us ;  the  snow 
drifted,  and  soon  became  fourteen  or  sixteen  feet  deep  ; 
we  were  blocked  up,  and  our  feld-j'ager  was  obliged  to 
proceed  to  tlie  neighbouring  villages  on  the  route,  and 
procure  peasants  to  dig  the  carriages  out,  and  finally 


9  1  , 


DISTINGUISHED    ATTENTIONS. 


17 


to  hire  the  little  charrettes  upon  sledges  from  the  ham- 
lets around,  on  which  alone  it  was  possible  to  proceed 
on  our  journey.    Imagine  straw  laid  on  these  vehicles, 
and  then  our  baggage  ;  on  the  top  of  this  were  placed 
our  furs,  and  on  them  we  took  our  seats,  with  no  other 
defence,    to   travel  in   twenty- seven  or  twenty-eight 
degrees  of  frost,  with  keen  winds  and  snow  beating 
on  us,  for  at  least  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  our 
journey.     The  servants  and  others  with  us  suffered 
much  more,  not  being  so  well  provided  for.     I  believe 
no  females  ever  went  through  more  severe  fatigue  and 
endurance  than  those  of  my  family.     I  could  only 
compare  the  weather  to  that  of  Sir  John  Moore's  re- 
treat from  Corunna,  and  it  was  in  fact  much  more 
severe.     I  should  record  that,  on  arrival  at  every  fixed 
station,  I  found  that  the  Emperor  had  graciously  sent 
orders  for  all  the  authorities  civil  and  military  to  re- 
ceive us  with  the  utmost  distinction ;  and  quarters  were 
provided  for  us  everywhere,  either  at  public  offices  or 
private  houses.  To  my  great  distress,  arriving  often  at  a 
station  at  four  or  five  in  the  morning  in  the  bleakest 
weather,  I  was  forced  to  witness,  on  turning  out  of  my 
wagon,  ofl[icers  en  grande  temte,  civilians  in  silk  stock- 
ings, and  troops  presenting  arms.     And  what  made  it 
more  embarrassing,  I  never  was  permitted  to  defray  any 
of  the  expenses  of  these  receptions,  nor  was  I  (like  an 
ambassador)  in  a  situation  to  make  presents  of  diamond 

VOL.    II.  c 


\n  J 


I' 


r 


18 


PARTITION    OF    POLAND. 


li 


boxes  or  rings  :  I  believe  no  one  not  clothed  with  an 
official  station,  and  not  a  crowned  head,  ever  experi- 
enced so  honourable  and  so  distinguished  a  reception. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  I  should  enter  into  the  his- 
tory of  Poland.  Everybody  is  aware  that,  under  a 
succession  of  bad  interior  governments  and  disastrous 
wars,  the  courts  of  St.  Petersburgh,  Vienna,  and 
Berlin,  concerted  and  carried  into  effect  a  treaty 
of  partition  in  1772,  by  which  a  portion  of  inhabi- 
tants were  left  to  the  Diet,  which  was  forced  to 
acquiesce  in  the  decree.  Another  and  still  further 
partition,  between  Prussia  and  Russia,  took  place  in 
1793,  and  the  Diet  was  obliged  to  submit,  which  re- 
duced this  kingdom  to  about  three  or  four  millions  of 
souls  ;  but  a  third  and  last  partition  took  place  in  1795 
between  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia ;  and  after  the 
peace  of  Tilsit  in  1807,  further  cessions  were  made  to 
Russia,  but  Poland  was  established  under  the  King  of 
Saxony  as  an  independent  sovereignty,  with  her  own 
constitution,  and,  by  different  exchanges  and  settle- 
ments, was  consolidated  into  a  monarchy  of  four  millions 
of  subjects.  This  arrangement  lasted  till  1815,  and  at 
the  treaty  of  Vienna  the  Emperor  Alexander  took  the 
title  of  King  of  Poland,  and  united  it  to  the  Russian 
empire ;  but  it  was  provided  that  Poland  should  have 
its  constitution,  and  should  be  governed  by  its  own 
laws.     It  is  not  my  intention  to  enter  into  the  causes 


THE    POLISH    NATION. 


19 


or  history  of  the  insurrection  of  1831,  which  entirely 
changed  the  political  destinies  of  a  country,  the  first 
partition  of  which  rendered  it  more  or  less  an  object  of 
great  political  interest  during  the  successive  tempests 
and  revolutions  which  led  to  its  annihilation.  Placed 
geographically  in  a  position  in  Europe  to  give  conti- 
nual umbrage  to  her  powerful  neighbours,  Poland  has 
fallen  undoubtedly  a  prey  to  might,  and  not  to  right ; 
and  though  all  must  deplore  her  fate  as  a  great  nation, 
the  question  of  the  present  happiness  of  the  people,  as 
to  submitting  to  inevitable  Russian  dominion,  or  at- 
tempting further  useless  insurrection,  does  not  admit, 
in  my  mind,  of  any  doubt. 

The  Polish  nation  generally  are  more  advanced  in 
the  civilisation  and  manners  of  the  rest  of  Europe  than 
the  Russians ;  their  proximity  to  southern  nations,  and 
their  long  connexion  with  France,  have  given  them 
French  usages,  and  they  are  more  animated  and  en- 
gaging than  their  northern  neighbours.  The  women 
are  proverbially  handsome,  though  of  late,  I  am  of 
opinion,  they  have  somewhat  degenerated ;  their  viva- 
city is  bewitching ;  and,  under  all  the  revolutions  of 
unhappy  Poland,  I  formed  an  opinion,  after  my  resi- 
dence in  Warsaw,  that  it  may  yet  be  one  of  the  most 
agreeable  cities  in  the  world.  The  men  are  eminently 
brave  and  insensible  to  danger:  they  have  not  the 
placidity  nor  solidity  of  the   Russians ;  but  the  Po- 

c   2 


'f 


Nil 


,••1 


ill 


II 


\ 


20 


RECEPTION    AT    WARSAW. 


lisli  nation  appears  to  me  to  be  a  compound  of  tlie 
volatile,  eager  Frenchman,  and  the  cold,  steady 
Russian,  partaking  of  the  attributes  of  each  :  they 
excel,  as  well  as  the  Russians,  in  an  extraordinary 
facility  in  learning  languages. 

With  these  general  ideas  of  Poland,  I  will  now  pro- 
ceed to  give  an  account  of  our  arrival  at  Warsaw. 

On  approaching  Warsaw,  we  were  met  by  orderly 
officers  and  a  squadron  of  hussars,  who  were  sent  by 
the  governor  marshal.  Prince  Paskewitch,  to  escort  us 
to  the  Palais  Bruhl,  which  the  Emperor  had  ordered 
to  be  prepared  for  our  reception.  We  found  ready  a 
complete  establishment  of  servants,  a  large  saloon 
brilliantly  illuminated,  a  great  dinner  prepared,  al- 
though we  arrived  at  four  in  the  morning,  and  various 
officers  on  service  awaiting  our  approach.  Tired  and 
exhausted  as  we  were  after  eighteen  hours  in  our  car- 
riages, to  meet  all  this  honour  and  attention  as  it 
should  have  been  responded  to  was  difficult  and  ha- 
rassing ;  however,  during  the  whole  time  we  remained 
at  Warsaw,  we  were  treated  with  the  same  ceremony 
and  respect.  We  lived  entirely  at  the  Emperor's  ex- 
pense, both  as  to  a  sumptuous  table  and  as  to  equipages 
and  servants  ;  and  no  consideration  would  induce  the 
attendants  to  take  the  smallest  remuneration  for  all 
that  we  had  received  at  their  hands. 

Amongst  various  old  friends,  I  had  the  satisfaction 


MUSSULMEN    REGIMENTS. 


21 


of  meeting  here  again  M.  de  Kosciolofski,  well  known 
in  England,  and  by  every  one  who  has  had  the  hap- 
piness of  his  acquaintance,  for    his    singular  esprit, 
acute  understanding,  and  general  information.     With 
Alexander  he  was  not  in  favour ;  Nicholas  has  restored 
him  to  the  public  service,  and  he  is  now  placed  in  a 
most  honourable  situation  at  Warsaw,  as  confidential 
secretary  to  the   Prince  Feld   Marechal.     I  also  re- 
newed   an  old  friendship    with  General   Augerofski, 
late  aide-de-camp  general  of  the  Emperor  Alexander, 
to  whose  memory  he  was  so  deeply  attached,  that  he 
has  retired  in  a  great  measure  from  St.  Petersburg!! 
and  the  court  to  reside  at  Warsaw. 

We  had,  during  our  sejour,  a  succession  of  balls, 
grand  dinners,  concerts,  and  theatrical  representations ; 
and  such  was  the  amiability  of  the  Polish  ladies,  that 
they  sheltered  their  consciences  under  the  wing  of 
the  new  archbishop,  and  actually  danced  during  Lent. 
In  addition  to  Prince  Paskewitch,  the  minister  of 
finance  and  the  civil  governor  gave  us  splendid  fetes. 
I  must,  however,  particularly  describe  two,  given 
by  the  marechal,  which  surpassed  in  interest  and 
beauty  everything  that  can  be  imagined.  One  may 
be  designated  ''la fete  de  la  cour,'"  the  other  *'  la 
fHe  an  hivouaer 

To  begin  with  the  latter.     The  prince  assembled  in 
the  morning  in  the  environs  of  Warsaw  about  twelve 


H 


I 


I 


Pi 


22 


MUSSULMEN    REGIMENTS. 


thousand  men.  The  day  was  most  propitious.  A  part 
of  this  force  was  the  chasseurs  of  Odessa,  some  squadrons 
of  gens-d'armes,  Cossacks,  and  two  squadrons  of  the 
Mussulmen  regiment.  This  corps  was  organised  and 
entirely  formed  by  the  Prince  Paskewitch  himself  in 
the  late  war  with  the  Turks.  The  Russian  general-in- 
chief  having  made  himself  most  popular  among  many 
of  the  Eastern  tribes,  several  of  their  chiefs  ranged 
themselves  under  his  banner.  This  brought  over 
many  of  their  soldiers  and  followers ;  and  finally  a 
regiment  was  formed  as  a  sort  of  body-guard  from 
these  recruits,  called  "  Les  gardes  de  Paskewitch^ 
They  were  then  found  so  intelligent  and  useful,  that 
their  establishments  were  increased,  and  Mussulmen 
regiments  were  created,  chiefs  of  that  religion  heading 
their  own  people.  They  are  mounted  on  their  own 
horses,  armed  with  spears,  javelins,  rifles,  and  sabres. 
They  are  as  adroit  standing  on  their  saddles  as  in 
their  seats ;  their  expertness  as  marksmen  is  very  won- 
derful, and  the  mixture  of  Turkish  costume  with  Rus- 
sian, and  a  modern  discipline,  makes  them  a  most 
curious  and  interesting  force.  There  is  no  doubt  they 
would  be  very  formidable  in  surrounding  in  a  swarm 
the  flanks  and  rear  of  regular  cavalry.  The  Prince 
Marechal  divided  the  troops  into  an  attacking  and  de- 
fending corps,  and  placed  under  the  orders  of  General 
Nejolow  eight  battalions  of  the  regiments  Netherinbourg 


MUSSULMEN    REGIMENTS. 


23 


and  Jahouts,  and  the  chasseurs  and  a  battery  of  light 
artillery,  to  occupy  the  road  towards  Laski,  in  advance 
of  the  town,  and  to  observe  a  very  strong  force  sup- 
posed to  be  marching  on  Warsaw.  The  second  corps, 
under  General  Ischerewine,  with  a  battalion  of  the 
chasseurs  of  Odessa,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  cavalry, 
light  artillery,  and  particularly  the  Mussulmen,  hav- 
ing arrived,  as  was  supposed,  near  Laski,  advanced 
from  the  Moscow  road  in  the  plain,  drew  on  the 
former  body  cautiously,  and  then  attacked  it  with 
superior  cavalry.  It  was  positively  war  itself,  so  ad- 
mirable were  all  the  dispositions,  the  judicious  occu- 
pation of  the  ground,  the  attacks  of  the  cavalry 
against  the  solid  squares  of  the  infantry,  the  fierce 
onset  and  howling  cries  of  the  Mussulmen,  and, 
finally,  the  steady  order  of  the  retreat  of  the  columns 
of  infantry.  And  here  I  must  express  my  wonder  at 
the  perfection  of  this  Mussulmen  regiment.  Their 
admirable  dexterity  in  horsemanship,  with  the  sword 
and  in  firing,  their  picturesque  and  formidable  ap- 
pearance, combining  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow  in 
their  Eastern  costume,  with  their  beautiful  horses, 
covered  with  rich  housings  and  trappings,  will  make 
them  of  incalculable  service  to  the  Russians  in  future 
wars ;  and  the  precision  with  which  they  will  be  enabled 
to  take  off*  general  and  staff  officers  on  reconnoissances, 


I  .i 


24 


PICTURESQUE    BIVOUAC. 


h     ' 


ii 


appears  to  render  it  advisable  for  the   Emperor  to 
increase  this  force,  as  far  as  he  may  be  able. 

The  battle  being  finished,  at  sunset  we  proceeded 
to  an  adjoining  wood,  in  the  centre  of  which  stands 
a  convent  with  an  open  emplacement.     Around  this 
space  bivouac   fires   lighted   up  the  atmosphere.     A 
tremendous  snow-storm  at  the  end  of  the  day  only 
served  to  render  the  scene  more  thoroughly  campaign- 
ing.    The  troops  had  their  brandy  and  bread  served 
out.     Then  began  the  music,   and  Mussulmen  and 
Cossacks  came  into  the  open  ground,  formed  in  dances, 
and  joined  in  a  chorus  of  strange  and  singular  har- 
mony around  the  blazing  piles  of  wood.    The  mix- 
ture of  the  regular  troops  with  the  Asiatics,  the  mazes 
of  the  grotesque  dance,  the   wildness  of  the  voices, 
the  spirited  Barb  and  Tartar  horses,  neighing  at  their 
piquets,    all  in  front  and  surrounding  a  large  guin- 
guette,  fitted  up  and  illuminated  for  the  dinner   of 
the   oflScers  and  company,  exhibited  a  picture  quite 
unparalleled.      Three  or  four  hundred  sat  down  to  a 
sumptuous  hot  repast.   I  need  not  say  that  in  our  liba- 
tions the  Emperor  and  magnificent  army  of  Russia  were 
not  forgotten.     On  horseback  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
day,  and  wet  to  the  skin  from  the  snow,  les  militaires 
were  but  dirty  companions  for  the  beauties  of  Warsaw, 
who  had  come  dressed  according  to  the  Empress's  code 


POLAND    AND    RUSSIA. 


25 


de  toilette ;  however,  they  were  all  very  amiable.  La 
Princesse  Paskewitch,  a  most  amiable  person,  was 
exceedingly  agreeable  ;  and  there  never  was  a  happier 
nor  a  more  enjoyable  evening. 

Next  for  our  fete  ci  la  cour  at  Lajinska.  We  as- 
sembled, at  half  past  three,  two  hundred  persons,  and 
dined  in  the  most  princely  style ;  the  ladies  vied  with 
each  other  in  richness  of  dress,  jewels,  and  toumure. 
I  could  not  have  conceived  it  possible  that  this  city, 
considering  its  revolutions,  should  appear  so  finished 
a  metropolis.  The  alleys  were  illuminated  ;  the  reflec- 
tion of  hundreds  of  lamps  in  the  water  gave  a  fairy 
enchantment  to  the  coup  d'oeil  which  the  palace  exhi- 
bited, and  the  fine  proportions  and  ornamental  decora- 
tions of  the  ball-room  added  greatly  to  the  brilliancy 
of  the  spectacle.  We  have  read  of  such  scenes  in  the 
Arabian  Nights,  but  on  this  spot  alone  have  I  wit- 
nessed the  reality.     We  separated  at  midnight. 

With  regard  to  the  country,  its  politics,  inhabitants, 
and  present  state,  I  shall  only  say  a  few  words.  The 
appearance  of  the  lower  class,  the  cottages,  and  the 
great  poverty,  reminded  me  a  little  of  Ireland.  The 
number  of  Jews  creates  an  unfavourable  impression. 
The  immense  plains  are  uninteresting,  but  the  land 
has  great  resources ;  time  and  conciliation  will  bring 
about  the  amalgamation  with  Russiti,  which  is  surely 
now  so  ardently  to  be  desired.     The  consecration  of 


\)\ 


/i 


i 


26 


POLAND    AND    RUSSIA. 


.1    •.  , 


\<  ii 


i!  { 


Catholic  bishops,  and  the  arrangements  which  secure 
the  preservation  of  the  Polish  language,  which  the 
Emperor  has  recently  perfected,  are  wise  and  just  pro- 
visions. I  stated  to  all  the  Poles  with  whom  I  con- 
versed, that  their  soi-disant  friends  at  Paris,  and  les 
liberaux  in  England,  are  the  worst  enemies  they  have, 
as  their  acts  keep  Russia  on  the  qui  vive^  and  pre- 
vent the  enlargement  of  the  Emperor's  gracious  inten- 
tions and  benevolent  wishes.  I  met  several  enlightened 
men  who  agreed  with  me,  but  there  are  others  who 
are  not  to  be  convinced ;  I  cannot  therefore  say  that 
any  cordial  feeling  with  Russia  is  yet  established^  al- 
though it  is  undoubtedly  making  progress. 

The  Marshal  Prince  Paskewitch  appears  to  me  as 
able  in  the  art  of  civil  administration  as  in  that  of  war : 
his  task  is  an  arduous  one.  I  know  no  subject  in 
Europe  that  stands  in  a  more  difficult  and  responsible 
position.  But  he  is  a  great  man,  and  I  have  much 
faith  in  his  success.  The  new  buildings  and  new 
town  are  fine ;  the  shops  and  commerce  flourish- 
ing ;  the  prisons,  manufactories,  &c.,  all  of  which  I 
visited,  well  regulated.  The  citadel,  lately  made  by 
the  Emperor  Nicholas,  bears  witness  to  the  colossal 
energy  of  the  power  which  has  erected  this  stupen- 
dous work  in  two  years.  Upon  the  whole,  I  am 
persuaded,  that  by  firmness,  conciliation,  and  by  just 
and  temperate  measures,   this   country    will  become 


DEPARTURE    FROM    WARSAW. 


27 


as  flourishing  and  happy  as  it  was  before  the  re- 
volutions, and  free  from  all  the  jealousies  and  in- 
trigues of  bad  national  administration.  I  was  beyond 
measure  gratified  at  seeing  Poland,  of  which  we  really 
speak  so  ignorantly  in  England.  My  eyes  were  fully 
opened,  and  I  hope,  in  time,  others  will  see  also  with 
unprejudiced  vision.  Many  may  regret  (amongst 
which  number  I  confess  I  have  always  been  one)  that 
the  conditions  of  the  treaty  of  Vienna  as  to  Po- 
land were  not  carried  into  effect  by  Russia.  But  when 
that  power  saw  other  nations  departing  from  the  prin- 
ciples then  established — when  rebellion  and  treason 
were  abroad,  and  undermining  the  Imperial  sway — 
would  any  sovereign  be  unmindful  of  the  opportunity 
of  seizing  those  means,  within  reach,  of  consolidating 
his  dominions  and  securing  his  own  empire  for  ever  ? 
It  cannot  be  denied  that  Russia  conquered  Poland  by 
force  of  arms.  It  is  equally  certain  that  France,  with 
all  her  mighty  military  means  under  Napoleon,  could 
not  conquer  Russia.  It  is  morally  impossible  that 
Poland  can  ever  again  be  severed  from  Russia,  and 
established  as  an  independent  kingdom,  unless  with 
the  previous  subjugation  of  Russia.  What  power,  after 
the  signal  failure  of  France,  can  accomplish  this,  so 
long  at  least  as  Prussia  and  Austria  support  the  pre- 
sent order  of  things  ? 

Let  the  politicians  of  Europe  weigh  well  these  few 


i-i 


'I 


28 


KALISCH. 


I' 


s 


II 


i  U 


ill 


observations,  and  ask  themselves  if  promoting  sedition, 
discontent,  and  democracy  in  Poland,  can  by  any  pro- 
bability tend  to  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  that 
nation. 

Our  agreeable  sejour  at  Warsaw  drew  now  to  a 
close,  and  the  prospect  of  an  early  meeting  of  Parlia- 
ment being  before  me,  we  thought  it  expedient  to 
bend  our  course  homewards. 

Having  taken  an  affectionate  leave  of  the  Marshal 
Prince  Paskewitch  and  his  amiable  wife,  who,  so 
flattering  were  their  attentions,  came  to  see  us  into 
our  carriages,  and  having  said  farewell  to  all  our 
kind  friends  at  Warsaw,  amongst  whom  I  must  spe- 
cially designate  Prince  Augerowski  and  Prince  Kos- 
ciolowski,  we  departed  on  the  26th  of  April  on  oui- 
route  to  Berlin. 

We  halted  the  first  night  at  Kudno,  at  the  commis- 
sariat house  of  the  district.  Everything  had  been  put 
in  requisition  for  our  reception.  The  same  etiquette 
in  respect  of  the  officers  receiving  us  in  uniform— the 
same  ceremony  of  guards  of  honour  and  orderlies, 
and  the  same  desire  to  place  everything  before  us  cost 
free,  by  the  supreme  direction  of  the  Emperor,  were 
here  manifested  as  on  former  occasions. 

We  reached  Kalisch  on  the  28th  of  April,  during 
intense  cold,  and  under  a  heavy  fall  of  snow.  This 
place  is  well   known   to  the  military  and  diplomatic 


BERLIN. — ROYAL    HOSPITALITY. 


29 


world.  It  is  the  frontier  town  between  the  kingdom 
of  Poland  and  the  Prussian  States,  and  is  surrounded 
by  vast  and  seemingly  interminable  plains.  From  a 
mere  village,  the  Emperor  has  lately  erected  it  into  a 
considerable  town.  Large  palaces  have  been  built 
with  unaccountable  rapidity,  to  afford  quarters  to  the 
great  princes  of  Europe,  who  have  assembled  there,  at 
the  Emperor's  invitation,  to  review  large  bodies  of 
troops.  It  appears,  indeed,  as  if  his  Imperial  Majesty 
contemplated  this  place  as  one  well  adapted  for  the 
assemblage,  whenever  such  may  seem  expedient,  of 
an  immense  force,  either  for  effect,  demonstration,  or 
exercise. 

The  Imperial  quarters  were  large  and  commodious. 
An  excellent  supper  was  prepared  for  us  with  the 
usual  attendance  and  hospitality. 

On  the  2nd  of  March  we  entered  the  Prussian 
States.  There  is  no  ckaussSe  on  this  side  till  you 
arrive  at  Breslau,  and  the  road  was  abominable  at 
this  season,  with  four  or  five  feet  of  snow.  Breslau 
is  a  considerable  old  fortress.  The  town  is  composed 
of  narrow  streets  and  high  buildings,  surmounted  by 
curious  turrets.  A  fine  bronze  statue  has  lately  been 
erected  here  to  the  hero  Blucher  by  the  brave  Sile- 
sian  army.  The  commerce  of  the  town  is  very  great ; 
the  garrison  is  formidable,  and  the  fortifications  are 
in  excellent  order. 


t 


> 


rl 


li 


;ii 


30 


ROYAL    HOSPITALITY. 


Not  having  much  leisure  to  delay  at  Breslau,  we 
pushed  on  to  Frankfort  on  the  Oder,  an  excellent  and 
agreeable  town,  with  a  fine  cathedral,  in  which  is  a 
beautifully  painted  glass  window,  well  worthy  the  in- 
spection of  travellers.  We  arrived  finally  at  Berlin 
on  the  night  of  the  5th  of  March. 

It  would  take  up  more  time  than  I  can  at  present 
spare,  were  I  to  enter  now  into  any  account  of  my 
delightful  sejour  of  nearly  a  month  at  Berlin.  I  shall 
reserve  this  for  some  future  publication  ;  for  it  would 
be  impossible  to  comprise,  within  a  few  pages  at  the 
end  of  this  Memoir,  a  description  of  all  the  interesting 
and  magnificent  objects  I  witnessed,  and  of  the  digni- 
fied hospitality  of  the  king  and  his  accomplished  and 
fascinating  family.  It  must  at  present  suflSce  to  say, 
that  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  had  ordered  excellent 
apartments  for  us  at  the  Hotel  de  Russie  on  the  Lin- 
den.  We  were  indeed  almost  domiciliated  with  his 
Royal  Highness  and  the  Duchess  during  our  stay  in 
the  Prussian  capital :  their  kindness  was  deeply  ap- 
preciated, and  can  never  be  forgotten  by  us. 

We  had  constant  dinners,  receptions,  and  fetes  at 
court.  The  King  was  unceasing  in  his  kindness  to 
me ;  and  all  the  royal  family,  following  his  Majesty's 
example,  treated  us  with  the  like  favour  and  conde- 
scension. We  were  honoured,  moreover,  by  special 
grand   entertainments  made  for  us  by  the  Russian, 


MAGNIFICENT    PRESENTS. 


31 


French,  and  English  ministers.  Lord  William  Russell 
indeed,  who,  in  spite  of  our  political  opinions  being 
wide  as  the  poles  asunder,  and  notwithstanding  those 
instances  of  Lord  John  Russell's  conduct  towards  me, 
which  no  time  can  efface  or  circumstances  remove 
from  my  memory,  studiously  went  out  of  his  way  to 
be  attentive  to  us. 

To  crown  all,  on  leaving  Berlin,  the  King  sent  Lady 
Londonderry  and  me  very  magnificent  presents  in  fine 
vases  and  china  from  the  splendid  Berlin  manufac- 
tory ;  and  I  now  hold  these,  together  with  the  other 
matchless  presents  which  I  have  received  from  the 
sovereigns  of  Europe,  as  proud  and  flattering  testimo- 
nials that,  far  more  by  the  acts  of  another  than  by  my 
own  humble  efforts,  the  name  I  bear  will  be  remem- 
bered on  the  scene  of  Europe. 


V 


f 


SECOND     PART. 


<;,L 


VOL.   II. 


D 


li 


I  : 


HI 


1 

w 

1 

1       t 

1    ' 

1 

'  t 

^ 
• 

1 

1 

I 


AN  HISTORICAL  AND  STATISTICAL  SKETCH 


OF    THE 


CITY  OF  ST.  PETERSBURGH, 


SINCE  ITS  FOUNDATION. 


y 


u  > 


':i} 


Peter  the  Great,  desirous  of  transporting  the  seat  of 
his  empire  to  the  borders  of  the  sea,  and  of  approxi- 
mating his  capital  to  the  western  part  of  Europe, 
whence  he  might  draw  the  elements  of  civilisation 
so  indispensable  for  the  improvement  of  his  subjects, 
chose  for  that  purpose  the  banks  of  the  Neva,  a 
territory  conquered  by  him  from  the  Swedes. 

The  local  difficulties  would  have  deterred  any  other 
but  this  monarch  from  such  a  purpose.  As  the  whole 
of  the  ground  had  been,  like  that  of  the  Delta  in 
^Syptj  formed  by  the  slow  but  continual  depositions 
of  a  river,  the  soil  was  consequently  so  humid  and 
light,  before  the  waters  had  been  well  drained  off  by 

D  2 


. 


I 


ill 


! 


)  i 


I 


^ 


^ji 


III 


II  > 


3() 


SITE    OF    ST.    PETERSBURGH. 


canals,  that  the  labour  must  have  been  immense.  These 
islets  were  also  frequently  subjected  to  inundations, 
caused  chiefly  by  the  west  winds,  which  blowing 
violently,  not  only  obstructed  the  waters  of  the  Neva 
in  their  downward  course,  but  oftentimes  forced  the 
waves  of  the  sea  to  flow  up  with  those  of  the  river 
itself.  Nor  was  the  climate  such  as  was  likely  to 
attract  inhabitants,  owing  to  the  severity  of  its  tem- 
perature, the  dampness  of  its  soil,  and  the  great 
atmospherical  changes  consequent  upon  its  vicinity 
to  the  sea. 

But  Peter  the  Great  had  seen  in  Holland  flourish- 
ing towns,  which  had  sprung  up  upon  ground  pre- 
viously drained  by  canals ;  towns,  in  many  instances 
built  even  below  the  level  of  the  sea,  but  protected 
from  its  inroads  by  powerful  dikes.  As  to  the 
unfavourable  climate,  he  anticipated,  and  with  justice, 
that  the  clearing  and  draining  of  the  ground  would 
materially  improve  it :  it  may  also  be  naturally 
enough  conjectured,  that  the  pleasure  he  felt  in 
imitating  a  country  in  which  he  had  during  his 
youth  acquired  so  much  practical  knowledge,  acted 
as  no  slight  stimulus  for  the  completion  of  his 
plans. 

It  was  on  the  16th  of  May,  1703,  that  the  Czar 
commenced  the  construction  of  a  fortress  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Neva,  on  an  island  then  known  by  the 


ORIGIN    OF    THE    CITY. 


37 


name  of  Yeni  Saar,  or  Hare  Island.  Another 
establishment,  consisting  at  the  time  of  only  a  few 
wooden  huts,  was  simultaneously  formed  in  the  adja- 
cent island  of  Kowe  Saar,  or  Birch-tree  Island,  Such 
is  the  humble  origin  of  St.  Petersburgh,  which  now 
reckons  half  a  million  of  inhabitants. 

The  most  ancient  part,  although  now  no  more 
than  a  suburb,  was  Kowe  Saar,  at  present  called  the 
Quarter  of  St.  Petersburgh.  Shortly  after  this,  ano- 
ther colony  established  itself  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Neva.  It  was  not,  however,  until  after  the  victory 
of  Pultowa,  which,  in  the  words  of  Peter  the  Great, 
"  firmly  laid  the  foundation-stone  of  St.  Peters- 
burgh," that  he  caused  works  worthy  of  himself  to 
be  commenced.  Assembling  a  vast  number  of  work- 
men, he  erected  his  citadel  in  the  short  space  of  four 
months.  A  great  mortality  was  a  necessary  conse- 
quence of  the  deficiency  of  supplies,  and  the  severity 
of  the  climate,  all  which  casualties  were  repaired  by 
fresh  levies.  Stone  fortifications  replaced  mud  ram- 
parts. Streets  at  right  angles  were  laid  out  in  the 
Kowe  Saar,  the  Admiralty,  the  Dock -yard,  a  small 
Summer  Palace  with  its  extensive  gardens,  the 
Winter  Palace,  now  the  barracks  of  the  Preobiajensky 
Guards,  were  all  built  upon  the  left  bank  of  the 
Neva,  and  prove  that  this  isle,  formed  by  the  Moika 
and    the    Fontanka,    were    exclusively    confined    to 


^ 


I 


1;-    tl 


m 


i( 


1^ 


I 


F 


•411. 


!| 


38 


ORIGIN    OF    THE    CITY. 


\  I 


i; 


r  : 


government  buildings.  A  foundry  constructed  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Fantanka,  together  with  the  huts 
of  the  workmen,  originated  the  beautiful  quarter 
now  called  Liteinaia,  Here  were  also  lodged  the 
different  regiments  of  guards. 

But  it  was  upon  the  island  called  by  the  Czar 
Vassili  Ostroff,  situated  on  the  right  of  the  Grand 
Neva,  a  little  below  the  citadel,  that  he  intended  to 
lavish  his  greatest  embellishments.  His  design  was 
to  make  it  a  new  Amsterdam,  defended  from  all 
hostile  attacks  by  impregnable  bastions  and  redoubts. 
The  plans  he  projected  for  the  accomplishment  of 
this  were  immense  ;  not  less  than  259  wersts  of  canals 
were  to  be  dug,  and  an  enclosure  of  17  wersts  in  cir- 
cumference to  be  fortified. 

It  was  here  that  the  clergy,  nobility,  and  merchants 
were  to  reside,  the  mechanics  and  lower  classes 
having  their  abode  assigned  them  either  in  the  St. 
Petersburgh  or  the  Wibourg  quarter,  which  portion 
of  the  city  was  already  in  progress  of  formation  on  the 
northern  bank  of  the  river. 

In  1710,  the  public  functionaries  and  nobles  belong- 
ing to  '  the  court,  and  the  ministers  of  the  supreme 
courts  of  justice,  were  ordered  to  take  up  their 
residence  at  St.  Petersburgh,  whither  also  the  Czar 
had  invited  many  artists  and  mechanics,  foreigners  as 
well  as  natives. 


ITS    IMPROVEMENT. 


39 


In  1717  the  number  of  houses  in  Vassili  Ostroff 
was  about  500  ;  in  the  other  quarters,  St.  Petersburgh 
being  tlie  principal,  1,679 ;  in  that  of  Moscow,  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Neva,  529;  in  Wibourg-,  345.  Total, 
2,553.  The  majority  of  these  were,  however,  mise- 
rable little  wooden  buildings. 

Twenty-three  years  after  the  foundation  of  St. 
Petersburgh,  Peter  the  Great  died;  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  church  erected  over  his  tomb,  there 
now  remain  scarcely  any  of  the  buildings  raised 
during  his  lifetime,  but  such  as  have  undergone 
alteration.  After  the  monarch's  death,  although  St. 
Petersburgh  still  continued  to  be  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment, Moscow  was  considered  the  metropolis;  so 
much  so,  that,  in  the  reign  of  the  Empress  Anne, 
many  persons  who  had  established  themselves  in  the 
new  capital  abandoned  it  for  the  interior  of  the 
country. 

St.  Petersburgh  made  great  advances  under  the 
Empress  Elizabeth.  This  princess,  who  was  fond  of 
pomp  and  magnificence,  invited  to  her  court  the  ablest 
foreign  artists,  and  commenced  embellishing  the  city 
with  edifices  of  vast  extent  and  extraordinary  beauty. 
The  great  Winter  Palace,  considered  in  the  present 
day  a  chef-d'oeuvre,  was  built  under  the  direction  of 
the  celebrated  Rastrelli,  as  were  also  the  Palaces  of 
AnitchkoflP,  Strogonoff,  Woronzoff,  and   several  others. 


i 


i:^ 


»       I 


i 


*:  1! 


^ 


» 


40 


ITS    PROGRESS    IN    THE 


-I 
I 


I: 


:l 


i 


!{ 


■} 


With  Rastrelli  also  originated  the  plan  of  the  Monas- 
tery of  Smolino,  together  with  its  vast  church,  begun 
in  1736,  and  completed  one  hundred  years  afterwards, 
in  the  reign  of  his  present  Majesty  the  Emperor  Ni- 
cholas I.  Much  native  talent  now  appeared  :  amongst 
other  artists,  BaschmakofF  was  particularly  distin- 
guished. 

But  notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  of  government, 
St.  Petersburgh  was  still  far  inferior  to  Moscow ; 
whilst  the  ancient  residence  of  the  Czars  reckoned 
above  300,000  inhabitants,  the  population  of  the  new 
capital  upon  the  banks  of  the  Neva  only  amounted,  in 
the  year  1750,  to  80,000  souls,  and  at  the  accession  of 
Catherine  II.  this  number  had  only  increased  30,000. 

It  was  reserved  for  this  last  princess  to  have  the 
glory  of  furthering  the  magnificent  plans  of  Peter  the 
Great,  by  giving  a  new  stimulus  to  Russia,  and  by  in- 
fusing fresh  activity  in  her  subjects  for  completing  the 
embellishments  of  her  rising  capital.  From  the  com- 
mencement of  her  reign,  she  abandoned  all  direct 
methods  formerly  adopted,  to  oblige  the  inhabitants  of 
the  provinces  to  establish  themselves  at  St.  Peters- 
burgh, being  well  assured  that  the  attractions  of  an 
elegant  and  polite  court,— the  resources  which  would 
soon  be  offered  of  rich  collections  of  the  productions  of 
nature  and  of  art, — superb  galleries  of  pictures  and 
statuary, — magnificent  spectacles, — and,  above  all,  the 


REIGN    OF    CATHERINE.  41 

wise  and  enlightened  protection  which  she  granted  to 
commerce  and  to  every  branch  of  trade, — would  suffice 
to  draw  to  the  capital  a  numerous  population.  The 
event  soon  justified  her  anticipations,  and  from  that 
time  an  astonishing  progress  was  made  without  any 
interruption. 

At  the  period  of  her  mounting  the  throne,  St.  Pe- 
tersburgh, already  rich  in  vast  churches  and  superb 
edifices,  was  still  far  removed  from  that  uniform  and 
regular  beauty  now  so  much  admired  in  it.  Vassili 
Ostroff,  and  the  quarters  situated  beyond  the  Fontanka, 
were  henceforth  to  form  the  city,  properly  so  called ; 
those  which  extended  along  the  left  bank  of  the  Fon- 
tanka were  divided  into  three  suburbs — those  of  Livo- 
nia, Moscow,  and  Alexander  Newsky.  Commissioners 
also  were  empowered  to  compel  proprietors  to  build 
their  houses  of  several  stories  high,  for  the  better  con- 
centration of  the  inhabitants  ;  their  attention  was  also 
particularly  directed  to  the  embellishment  of  the  banks 
of  the  Neva. 

Several  circumstances  now  concurred  in  favouring 
the  views  of  the  commissioners  :  the  nobles  flocked  in 
great  numbers  to  St  Petersburgh,  which  became  more 
and  more  improved  and  embellished  in  proportion  as 
its  increasing  commerce  rendered  it  more  opulent, 
while  the  population  multiplied  exceedingly.  This 
city,  which,  towards  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth, 


I 


I 


i 


^: 


S   i 


'    ti 


i 


42 


ITS    PROGRESS    IN    THE 


could  only  reckon  110,000  inhabitants,  had,  in  1765, 
150,335.  In  1770,  the  numbers  were  158,782;  in 
1775,  after  the  disasters  caused  by  the  inundation  of 
1773,158,365;  in  1780, 174,778 ;  in  1784,  192,446; 
in  1789,  217,948.  Often,  in  the  course  of  a  single 
summer,  whole  streets  of  small  wooden  tenements  dis- 
appeared to  make  room  for  vast  stone  edifices,  which 
found  occupiers  the  moment  they  were  finished.  New 
palaces  and  new  churches  were  erected  in  every  part 
of  the  city,  amongst  the  most  prominent  of  which  may 
be  reckoned  the  church  of  the  Monastery  of  St.  Alex- 
ander Newsky, — the  Palace  of  the  Taurida,  with  its 
beautiful  gardens, — the  vast  edifice  of  the  Academy  of 
Fine  Arts, — that  of  the  Academy  of  the  Sciences, — the 
Bank, — and  the  Hospital  of  Aboukhoff*. 

Travellers  by  whom  this  city  was  at  that  time 
visited,  assure  us  that  vast  and  gloomy  woods,  loaded 
with  vapour  and  humidity,  adjoined  the  most  elegant 
and  populous  quarters ;  little  wooden  huts  stood  beside 
magnificent  palaces ;  while  a  great  extent  of  ground, 
covered  with  ashes  and  ruins,  presented  the  traces  of  a 
great  conflagration  which  had  broken  out  on  the  26th 
of  March,  1764. 

The  ofiicial  reports  of  the  year  1778  prove  that  this 
picture  is  not  exaggerated.  By  these  we  also  learn, 
that  even  sixteen  years  after  Catherine's  accession, 
only  one  quarter  of  the  city  could  be  considered  as 


REIGN    OF    CATHERINE. 


43 


completed — that  of  the  Admiralty,  in  which  were  to  be 
reckoned  two  hundred  and  sixteen  large  and  handsome 
stone  buildings,  and  not  one  of  wood.  The  total  num- 
ber of  stone  houses  in  the  city  did  not,  however,  ex- 
ceed six  hundred  and  thirty-three,  the  remainder, 
3,800,  mentioned  in  the  reports,  were  all  of  wood  :  the 
number  of  the  inhabitants  was  at  this  period  165,000. 
It  being  the  wish  of  the  Empress,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  her  reign,  to  remedy  the  want  of  regu- 
larity wliich  gave  her  capital  the  character  of  a  yet 
unformed  city,  she  appointed  a  commission,  having  for 

their  president  General  Tchernischefi*,  whose  chief 
duties  were  to  draw  up  a  plan  by  which  a  greater 
regularity  in  the  formation  of  the  streets,  edifices,  &c., 
might  be  insured,  and  to  restrict  the  further  increase 
of  the  city,  which  was  already  disproportionately  great 
for  the  number  of  its  inhabitants.  It  w  ould  have  been 
easy,  owing  to  the  level  nature  of  the  ground  and 
the  materials  of  the  old  buildings,  to  introduce  the 
boldest  changes ;  but  the  vast  expense  which  would 
necessarily  be  incurred,  proved  an  insurmountable 
obstacle.  The  great  object  was,  therefore,  to  preserve, 
as  much  as  possible,  the  former  arrangement  of  the 
streets,  squares,  &c.,  imparting  to  them  as  much  re- 
gularity as  circumstances  would  permit. 

A  fire  having,  in  1786,  destroyed  a  great  portion  of 
the  Gostinoi  Door,  which  was  constructed  of  wood,  it 


i 


u 


INCREASE    OF    POPULATION. 


!l 


was  replaced  by  magnificent  stone  arcades ;  and  the 
Empress  erected  the  famous  statue  of  her  illustrious 
predecessor,  which  is  the  admiration  of  every  be- 
holder. 

The  great  increase  of  population  soon  rendered  ne- 
cessary a  new  division  of  the  city  into  nine  quarters, 
the  numbers  being,  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, not  less  than  220,208  souls. 

The  increase  of  St.  Petersburg!!  was  not  very  ap- 
parent under  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Paul  I.  It 
was,  however,  in  his  time  that  the  central  part  of  the 
city,  between  the  Grand  Neva  and  the  Fontanka, 
which  had  hitherto  formed  only  three  quarters,  was 
divided  into  four,  designated  by  the  names  of  the  first, 
second,  third,  and  fourth  quarters  of  the  Admiralty. 

Upon  the  accession  of  his  son,  Alexander  I.,  the 
utmost  exertions  were  made  for  the  improvement  and 
embellishment  of  the  capital  of  the  empire.  The  Em- 
peror's attention  was  more  particularly  directed  to  the 
effectual  draining  of  the  ground.  Numerous  canals 
had  been  dug  for  the  purpose  by  his  predecessors,  such 
as  the  one  which  forms  a  communication  between  the 
Moika  and  the  Grand  Neva,  and  those  of  Krukoff  and 
Ligova.  Under  the  Empress  Anne  more  especially, 
great  exertions  had  been  made  to  drain  off  a  morass 
which  covered  a  vast  quantity  of  ground  now  occupied 
by  the    Liteinaia,    the    Karetnaia,   and    the    Moscow 


ISLETS    OF    THE    NEVA. 


45 


quarters;  and  under  the  reign  of  Catherine  IL 
similar  efforts  powerfully  contributed  to  change  the 
general  aspect  of  the  city.  At  this  period  were 
constructed,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  those  mag- 
nificent quays,  which,  begun  in  1764,  required  the 
uninterrupted  labours  of  thirteen  years  to  complete. 
The  construction  of  the  Canal  of  Catherine,  and  of  the 
two  grand  roads  leading  from  the  capital  to  Czars- 
koeselo  and  to  Peterhoff,  is  also  to  be  attributed  to 
that  illustrious  woman. 

Much,  however,  remained  to  be  done  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  nineteenth  century.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  Vassili  Ostroff,  the  quarter  of  St.  Peters- 
burgh,  and  a  part  of  the  Island  of  Apothecaries,  all 
the  islets  situated  on  the  left  of  the  Neva  were  still 
in  their  original  state,  covered  with  damp  thick  fogs, 
which  afterwards  spread  over  the  city  itself.  By  the 
order  of  Alexander,  these  islands  were  transformed  into 
delicious  gardens  ;  an  artificial  elevation  was  also 
given  to  the  islands  of  Kammenoi,  Ostroff,  and  Yola- 
quire ;  numerous  canals  were  excavated,  and  every 
means  adopted  that  could  produce  a  beneficial  change 
in  the  atmosphere  and  climate.  Various  magnificent 
buildings,  too  numerous  to  mention  here,  now  sprang 
up,  as  if  by  enchantment,  in  different  quarters  of  the 
city.  Trottoirs  added  not  only  to  its  embellishment, 
but  also  to  its  comfort ;  and  in  1810  a  new  quarter, 


6 


^ 


I! 


I! 


46 


POPULATION    AND    BUILDINGS. 


that  of  Narva,  was  added,  which  now  increased  the 
number  to  twelve,  reckoning  that  of  St.  Petersburgh, 
hitherto  considered  as  a  suburb.  The  following  state- 
ment will  show  the  amazing  progress  made  in  a  few  years 
in  the  population  and  buildings.  The  number  of  in- 
habitants, which  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  century 
amounted  to  220,208,  increased  in  1805  to  271,137; 
in  1812,  to  308,474;  in  1814,  to  335,743;  in  1817, 
344,619  ;  in  1819,  to  363,938  ;  in  1825,  to  424,741. 
In  1778  the  city  did  not  contain  4,000  houses,  of 
which  600  only  were  of  stone.  In  1814  the  first 
quarter  of  the  Admiralty  contained  282  stone  houses, 
and  29,800  inhabitants.  In  the  three  other  quarters 
of  the  Admiralty  were  783  stone  and  344  wood 
houses.  The  total  of  houses  in  the  capital  was  7,123, 
of  which  2,181  were  of  stone. 

In  1833  the  extent  of  ground  occupied  by  St. 
Petersburgh  was  81  wersts  35,147  square  sage- 
nas,  Russian  measure,  equal  nearly  to  21,905  Eng- 
lish acres.     The  number  of  houses  in  1833  in  the 


First  quarter  of  the  Admiralty  - 
Second  -  -  -  -  - 
Third  -  -  -  -  - 
Fourth  ---•.- 
In  the  Liteina'ia  quarter 

Moscow  ... 


Stone. 
265 

245 

313 

243 

-  398 

-  339 


Wood. 

26 
25 

238 
464 
607 


h 


MORTALITY. 

Stone. 

Wood. 

Narva 

«»                                         B 

- 

114     - 

-     360 

Rojentskvenskaia 

- 

- 

109     - 

-     506 

Karetnaia 

- 

- 

243     - 

-     289 

Vassili  Ostroff 

- 

- 

297     - 

.     682 

St.  Petersburgh 

- 

- 

85     - 

-  1154 

Wibourg 

- 

- 

55     - 

-     309 

Okhta      - 

- 

- 

24     - 

-     686 

Total  of  stone 

- 

2,730 

■  wood 

•• 

5,246 

Grand  total     - 

- 

7,976 

47 


The  population  amounted,  in  1833,  to  442,896  inha- 
bitants, of  whom  301,870  were  males,  and  IA\,0'26 
were  females.  In  1822,  the  property  in  houses  was 
estimated  to  exceed  the  sum  of  13,885,899  roubles. 

Owing  to  the  great  exertions  made  by  government 
for  improving  the  atmosphere  and  climate,  the  morta- 
lity has  sensibly  diminished  in  the  capital.  From 
official  reports  it  appears,  that  sixty  years  ago,  the 
proportion  of  deaths  was  one  in  thirty-five ;  it  is  now 
one  to  forty-two,  and  the  average  duration  of  life, 
which  in  1781-1790  was  32i^  years,  is  now  44^5 
years. 

This  report  for  the  year  1835  embraces,  as  might 
be  expected,  a  great  variety  of  topics  ;  the  following 
is  a  short  precis  of  the  most  interesting. 

In  an  extensive  and    fertile  country  like   that   of 


I 

( 


48 


SUPPLY    OF    CORN. 


i|t 


Russia,  which  produces  grain  sufficient,  not  only  for 
home  consumption,  but  for  exportation,  the  various 
branches  of  husbandry  connected  with  agriculture 
naturally  require  no  small  degree  of  attention  on  the 
part  of  government.  The  short  crops  of  the  pre- 
ceding years  had  imposed  upon  the  home  department 
the  duty  of  assisting  those  provinces  which  had  suf- 
fered in  consequence,  and  of  providing  every  part 
of  the  empire  with  corn,  chiefly  imported  from 
abroad. 

The  government  was  relieved  from  this  care  in 
1835  by  a  harvest,  which,  although  not  the  most 
plentiful,  sufficed,  at  least,  for  the  wants  of  the  con- 
sumers. Five  provinces  only — those  of  Witebsk,  Livo- 
nia, Olouets,  Pokoff,  and  Esthonia, — claimed  that 
assistance,  which  was  immediately  afforded.  Measures 
have  now  been  taken  to  provide  against  the  ill  conse- 
quences of  any  future  scarcity  by  the  establishment  of 
reserve  magazines,  and  by  the  creation  of  a  fund  to 
be  applied  to  the  purchase  of  foreign  corn ;  in  addi- 
tion to  which,  government  has  authorised  the  intro- 
duction of  rural  banks  (similar  to  those  in  opera- 
tion in  the  island  of  Ozel)  into  the  three  Baltic  pro- 
vinces 

The  wool  trade  is  now  cultivated  in  Siberia,  the  re- 
motest part  of  the  empire,  a  wool  company  having 


INTERNAL    COMMERCE. 


49 


been  established  there  in  1832.  The  efforts  of  this  as- 
sociation have  been  very  successful.  Means  have  also 
been  adopted  for  encouraging  horticulture,  for  which 
purpose  model-gardens  have  been  formed  in  the  govern- 
ments of  Poltava,  Penza,  Catherinosloff*,  Kherson,  and 
the  Taurida.  Her  Majesty  the  Empress  has  also 
been  graciously  pleased  to  patronise  an  association 
formed  at  Moscow  for  the  same  objects,  and  to  pre- 
sent the  society  with  a  portion  of  her  Stoudenetz 
estate. 

Internal  commerce  is  also  in  the  best  state.  The 
exchange  of  agricultural  produce,  as  well  as  of 
manufactures  at  different  fairs,  has  very  much  in- 
creased. The  proceeds  from  goods  sold  exceed  the 
sum-total  of  the  sales  of  the  preceding  year.  At 
Nijny-Novgorod,  the  difference  in  favour  of  1835  has 
been  9,272,345  roubles ;  at  Kharskoff*  9,225,320  rou- 
bles; at  Koursk  1,811,923  roubles;  at  Taganrog 
323,345  roubles  ;  at  Tamboff*  92,970  roubles  ;  and  at 
Irbit  1,137,127  roubles. 

Nineteen  fairs  have  been  established  for  the  benefit 
of  trade,  in-  several  principal  towns  of  the  empire,  and 
thirteen  in  lesser  ones ;  seven  new  bazaars  have  also 
been  built  in  the  former,  and  six  in  the  latter. 

The  home  department  has  also  been  seriously  en- 
gaged in  the  organisation  and  internal  administration 
of  towns  ;    and    the  government    being  particularly 

VOL.    II.  V 


» 


ll 


50 


FREE    PASTURE    LANDS. 


H 


h 


I'i'ii' 


i< 


Iff 


Pii 


m 


anxious  that  the  balance-sheet  of  receipts  and  ex- 
penditure should  annually  be  forwarded  by  the  large 
towns,  not  less  than  twenty-six  have  forwarded  their 
budgets  during  the  present  year  :  and  it  is  satisfactory 
to  remark,  that  the  disbursements  have  never  exceeded 
what  was  absolutely  necessary. 

The  hopes  indulged  as  to  the  new  regulations  upon 
free  pasture  lands  belonging  to  towns  have  been  fully 
justified  by  the  results.  The  local  authorities  now 
appear  completely  awake  to  the  advantages  accruing 
from  the  working  of  them.  Indeed,  independently  of 
the  townsmen  themselves,  numerous  applications  have 
been  made  by  nobles  and  foreign  merchants  for  grants 
of  land,  with  the  view  of  establishing  farms  or  manu- 
factures, subject,  of  course,  to  the  annual  rent  fixed  by 
law.  A  portion  of  these  lands  has  also  been  granted 
to  such  detachments  of  the  army  as  are  stationary, — 
kitchen  gardens,  of  eight  dessetines  in  extent,  being 
assigned  to  all  the  garrison  battalions,  two  to  each 
company  of  invalids,  and  one  to  each  commissariat 

detachment. 

A  great  increase  is  observable  in  the  population  of 
the  steppes,  which  are  annexed  to  the  government  of 
Saratoff,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Volga.  These 
steppes,  which,  when  the  seventh  census  was  taken, 
had  a  population  of  88,650  men,  (the  women  not 
being  taken  into  account,)  have  now  become  so  popu- 


COLONIES. — VACCINATION. 


51 


loiis,   that    the    number    of  males    is  almost  three- 
fold. 

In  Bessarabia  two  districts  have  been  formed.  A 
new  German  colony  is  established  in  this  province, 
and  the  population  has  increased  tenfold  since  the  last 
census. 

His  Majesty  the  Emperor  having  granted  a  free 
pardon,  and  permission  to  return,  to  all  Russian  sub- 
jects who  liad  emigrated  into  Turkey  at  any  former 
period,  1,722  individuals  have  availed  themselves  of 
this  act  of  grace,  the  greater  part  of  whom  have  settled 
near  Toutclikoff.  For  the  further  encouragement  of 
tliese  colonies,  they  have  been  exempted  from  some  of 
the  taxes  for  the  space  of  five  years. 

Vaccination  has  made  the  most  satisfactory  pro- 
gress in  the  provinces.  According  to  the  reports 
of  local  authorities,  495,371  children  have  been 
vaccinated  in  the  interval  between  the  last  six  months 
of  1834  and  the  first  six  of  1835.  The  propor- 
tion between  those  who  have  been  cured  is  one  to 
twelve.  The  improvements  made  every  year  In  the 
public  establishments  near  the  different  mineral 
springs  in  the  interior  of  the  country  attract  consider- 
able numbers. 

A  medico-electric  establishment  has  been  formed  at 
St.  Petersburgh,  and  another  of  artificial  mineral 
waters  has  been  opened  at  Wilna.     The  various  me- 

e2 


»! 


ki 


o2 


HOSPITALS. 


» 


l^i 


dical  institutions  are  most  flourisliing.  Not  less  tlian 
2,178  students  have  attended  the  courses  of  lectures  of 
the  Medico-Chirurgical  Academy  of  St.  Petersburgh, 
and  the  subsidiary  Academies  of  Moscow  and  Wilna. 
Out  of  this  number  1,247  have  entered  at  their  own 
expense,  the  rest  at  that  of  the  government  or  of  pri- 
vate foundations. 

Amongst  other  most  useful  establishments  connected 
with  this  department,  is  the  manufactory  of  surgical 
instruments  at  St.  Petersburgh,  which  in  1835  fur- 
nished the  army  and  the  other  branches  of  the 
public  service  with  instruments,  the  cost  of  which 
amounted  to  184,000  roubles.  The  value  of  them 
finished  off  in  the  course  of  the  present  year  is  99,000 
roubles. 

The  organisation  of  the  hospitals  throughout  the 
empire,  upon  a  plan  approved  of  by  his  Majesty,  at 
present  engages  the  attention  of  the  home  department. 
Amongst  other  provisions  it  is  proposed  to  form,  in 
each  government,  large  establishments  under  the 
name  of  District  Hospitals,  intended  for  the  reception 
of  persons  suffering  under  such  chronic  disorders  as 
require  a  careful  and  prolonged  treatment.  Hospitals 
upon  a  smaller  scale  have  also  been  opened  in  six 
different  provincial  towns.  A  lazaretto  has  been  built 
at  Nijny  Novgorod,  exclusively  appropriated  to  the 
boatmen   frequenting    the    fair   held   at    that   town. 


CHARITABLE    INSTITUTIONS. 


53 


Orders  have  likewise  been  given  to  distribute  medi- 
cines gratis  to  such  of  the  sick  poor  as  cannot  be 
received  into  these  establishments. 

Another  improvement  is  the  formation  of  schools 
for  the  superintendents  of  hospitals:  these  will,  in 
time,  furnish  persons  every  way  fitted  for  undertaking 
the  direction  of  civil  hospitals.  Two  of  these  schools 
are  in  activity  at  St.  Petersburgh  and  Moscow ;  a 
third  will  soon  be  opened  at  Casan,  and  a  fourth  at 
Wilna.  At  Moscow  a  lunatic  asylum  has  been  esta- 
blished, into  which  patients  are  admitted  and  receive 
medical  treatment  previously  to  their  being  sent  to 
the  hospital.  A  separate  building  has  also  been  con- 
structed for  convalescents  of  this  class.  The  organi- 
sation of  the  Orphan  and  Foundling  Hospitals  at 
Kalonga  has  been  completed  upon  the  plan  of  that  of 
St.  Petersburgh,  opened  in  1831. 

Private  benevolence  has  considerably  enriched  the 
charitable  institutions  both  of  St.  Petersburgh  and 
Moscow ;  not  less  than  330,000  roubles  having  been 
dedicated  to  this  praiseworthy  object,  besides  other 
grants  of  lands,  houses,  &c.  The  general  state  of 
the  finances  of  the  board  for  charitable  institutions, 
is  most  satisfactory.  Notwithstanding  that  2,566,605 
roubles  have  been  set  apart  to  defray  the  ex- 
penses   of  buildings   intended   to    be  erected   within 


-    I! 


-. 


f. 


54 


PUBLIC    WORKS. 


the  next  five  years,  the  account  of  the  fund  was  as 
follows : — 

State  of  the  Finances  of  these  Establishments  on   the 

\st  of  January y  1836. 


Capital 


Deposits 


Total 


Being  an  excess  over  the  pre- 
ceding year  of 


! 


Roubles. 
42,456,437 

80,395,950 

Copecs. 
15 

H 

122,854,387 
-  10,528,984     - 

20| 
951 

The  maintaining  and  perfecting  the  means  of 
communication  througliout  the  empire  is  one  of 
the  most  important  duties  attached  to  the  home 
department.  The  works  of  this  description  have 
everywhere  been  vigorously  prosecuted.  The  new 
high  road  between  Dunabourg  and  Kowno  has  just 
been  completed,  and  several  others  have  been  already 
commenced. 

Many  important  public  works  have  been  under- 
taken in  many  of  the  towns.  Of  this  number  is  the 
construction  of  quays  along  the  Oka,  and  from  the 
.Volga  to  Nijny  Novgorod.  At  Moscow  preparations 
are  making  for  building  the  church  of  the  Saviour. 
Eighteen  other  towns  have  obtained  permission  to  exe- 
cute works,  the  plans  of  which  have  received  the  ap- 


PUBLIC    WORKS. 


55 


probation  of  government,  and  to  employ  upon  the  said 
works  442,437  roubles  raised  upon  the  municipal 
funds  :  30,829  roubles  have  also  been  appropriated  to 
the  establishment  of  a  regular  steam-bbat  communi- 
cation between  the  ports  of  the  Black  Sea  and  those  of 
the  Sea  of  Azof. 


^i 


, 


I 


I 


iii 


i 


56 


AN 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH    OF 


ODESSA,     ITS    TRADE,    &c. 


When,  in  1774,  Russia  had  acquired,  by  the  treaty  of 
Kainardgi,  the  right  of  navigating  the  Black  Sea,  the 
government  lost  no  time  in  forming  several  maritime 
establishments  upon  its  shores,  the  chief  of  which  was 
Kherson,  or  Cherson.  This  town  is  interesting  to  an 
Englishman,  from  its  being  the  burial-place  of  the 
benevolent  Howard.  His  grave  is  at  a  short  distance 
from  Cherson,  on  the  road  to  Nicholaietf,  and  is  con- 
spicuous by  a  small  brick  pyramid,  which  was  placed 
over  his  remains  instead  of  a  sun-dial  which  he 
had  requested,  built  at  the  mouth  of  tlie  Dnieper. 
But  the  advantages  promised  by  its  site  were,  for  the 
most  part,  never  obtained,  not  only  in  consequence 
of  its  port  being  shallow  and  blocked  up  by  the  ice 
five  months  out  of  the  twelve,  but  also  because  the 


ORIGIN    OF    ODESSA. 


57 


entrance  into  the  Bosphorus  was  still  closed  against 
the  Russian  flag. 

In  1792,  the  Empress  Catherine  II.,  having  re- 
united to  her  empire  some  territories  of  which  Poland 
had  in  ancient  times  dispossessed  it,  directed  her  at- 
tention towards  founding  upon  the  shores  of  the  Black 
Sea  a  port  which  might  serve  as  a  convenient  entre- 
pot for  these  newly-recovered  provinces.  Her  choice 
of  a  site  fell  upon  the  banks  of  a  small  creek  near  the 
Tartar  village  of  Hadgi  Bay  ;  and  it  is  there  that  the 
gay  and  opulent  city  of  Odessa  now  presents  itself  to 
the  admiring  traveller.  That  the  selection  was  a  fe- 
licitous one,  was  proved  by  the  returns  of  even  the  few 
first  years.  In  1795  the  total  value  of  exports  and  im- 
ports did  not  exceed  68,000  roubles ;  but  in  the  same 
proportion  as  the  commercial  importance  of  Cherson, 
Nicholaieff,  and  Otchakoff*,  sensibly  declined,  that  of 
Odessa  increased — its  exports  amounting  in  1796  to 
172,000  roubles,  and  the  next  year  to  208,000  roubles. 
Nor  was  it  long  before  this  city  attracted  to  itself  the 
whole  of  the  foreign  trade.  Taganrog,  which  is  situ- 
ated upon  the  Sea  of  Azof,  was  the  only  town  unin- 
jured by  this  superiority — its  trade  being  dependent 
upon  other  sources.  Situated  upon  the  confines  of 
Europe  and  Asia,  and  comparatively  near  the  centre 
of  the  empire,  Odessa  so  well  understood  how  to  take 
advantage  of  its  commanding  position,  that  the  activity 


58 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


11 


{ 


of  its  commerce  daily  increased.  Almost  the  only 
commercial  relations  of  the  ports  of  the  Crimea,  espe- 
cially Theodosia,  were,  on  the  contrary,  confined  to 
Turkey,  which  exchanged  the  produce  of  the  penin- 
sula for  articles  suited  to  the  wants  of  its  Mahometan 
population. 

The  Emperor  Alexander,  upon  his  accession  to  the 
throne,  immediately  reduced  the  duties  imposed  upon 
all  vessels  entering  the  ports  of  the  Black  Sea  twenty- 
five  per  cent. ;  granting,  moreover,  to  Odessa  all  the 
rights  of  an  entrepot,  which  privileges  it  continued  to 
enjoy  until  it  obtained  those  of  a  free  port.  Many 
circumstances  concurred  at  this  time  in  giving  a  sud- 
den impulse  to  the  trade  and  navigation  of  a  sea 
which  but  a  short  time  since  was  almost  unknown. 
The  Sublime  Porte  had  just  granted  the  right  of  pas- 
sage through  the  Bosphorus  to  the  Englisli,  French, 
Dutch,  and  Prussian  vessels  ;  and  the  peace  of  Amiens 
promised  Europe,  then  almost  exhausted  with  a  pro- 
tracted war,  an  interval  of  repose.  In  1803  five  hun- 
dred and  thirty  vessels  entered  the  harbour  of  Odessa, 
which  city  could  not  then  boast  of  more  than  8,000 
inhabitants ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  same  year  not 
less  than  60,000  tclietverts  of  corn  quitted  its  port, 
which  sold  at  the  rate  of  five  silver  roubles  per  tehet- 
vert. 

Even  the  war  which  soon  broke  out  again  between 


fi 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


59 


France  and  England  exercised,  at  first,  no  other  than 
a  beneficial  influence  upon  these  distant  shores.  The 
maritime  commerce  of  France  and  Spain  being  anni- 
hilated, Trieste  engrossed  to  itself  that  of  the  Levant. 
Wars  upon  wars  deprived  every  branch  of  industry, 
commerce,  and  even  agriculture,  of  the  necessary  hands. 
Many  countries,  wholly  unable  to  produce  corn  and 
other  grain  suflScient  for  home  consumption,  found 
themselves  compelled  to  obtain  it  from  abroad.  In 
no  part  of  the  world  was  this  kind  of  produce  cheaper 
than  in  the  ports  of  the  Black  Sea  ;  the  natural  con- 
sequence was,  that  in  a  short  time  large  capitals  which, 
on  account  of  the  calamities  of  war,  could  not  be  safely 
employed  elsewhere,  found  their  way  to  Odessa. 

This  great  activity,  however,  to  which  the  south  of 
Russia  is  indebted  for  the  beginning  of  its  fortune,  was 
soon  interrupted  by  a  war  between  Russia  and  the 
Porte. 

Some  years  afterwards,  the  general  peace,  conquered 
at  Leipzic  and  Waterloo,  happily  restored  tranquillity 
to  entire  Europe ;  and  upon  this,  the  trade  of  Odessa 
immediately  revived  with  fresh  vigour.  France,  which, 
since  the  commencement  of  the  century,  had  made  im- 
mense progress  in  all  the  productive  branches  of  com- 
merce, particularly  required  from  the  countries  capable 
of  providing  her  with  them,  tlie  elements  of  her 
manufactures.        From    that    time    her    commercial 


J  I 


i\ 


60 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


i'l 


\i 


V: 


/  : 


relations  with  Russia  experienced  a  considerable  in- 
crease. On  the  other  hand,  the  unemployed  capitals 
which  had  been  accumulating  for  several  years  at 
Leghorn  and  Genoa,  at  length  returned  into  circula- 
tion. The  ports  of  the  Levant  were  the  points  of  at- 
traction, and  the  Genoese  especially  came  to  purchase 
at  Odessa  goods  of  which  they  afterwards  resold  a  part 
to  France  and  Spain.  A  rivalship  manifested  itself  on 
the  part  of  the  merchants  of  Leghorn  and  Trieste,  but 
the  latter  were  indisputably  inferior  in  the  magnitude 
of  their  speculations.  Although,  generally  speaking, 
the  commercial  intercourse  of  the  Mediterranean  ports 
was  almost  exclusively  confined  to  those  of  Southern 
Russia,  yet  numbers  of  English  visited  the  shores  of 
the  Black  Sea  chiefly  as  agents  of  Italian  or  French 
merchants,  while  the  Turkish  flag,  hoisted  on  Greek 
vessels,  frequently  appeared  in  the  roadstead  of  Odessa. 
Even  the  calamities  which  aflSicted  Europe  in  1816 
and  1817  contributed  to  infuse  fresh  energy  into  the 
commerce  of  these  shores.  The  crops  having  almost 
generally  failed,  orders  for  the  purchase  of  grain  of 
every  description  became  so  numerous  and  so  con- 
siderable, that  Russia,  notwithstanding  its  fertility, 
could  scarcely  execute  them.  The  activity  which  then 
prevailed  in  the  port  of  Odessa,  the  quantity  of  specie 
which  flowed  in  from  all  parts,  the  prices  obtained  for 
produce,   and   the  increased   value  of  labour  in   the 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


61 


neighbouring  countries,  were  circumstances  which 
might  well  induce  an  error  touching  the  real  and  per- 
manent  importance  of  this  traflic.  A  false  estimate 
was  indeed  formed  of  it,  and  this  niistake  had  the 
most  disastrous  consequences.  The  harvest  of  1818 
had  already  relieved  Europe  from  the  fears  of  a  dearth, 
wliilst  the  warehouses  of  Odessa  were  still  filled  with 
grain  bought  at  very  high  prices.  The  merchants 
continued  for  some  time  exporting  upon  their  own 
account,  but  such  speculations  were  of  course  unsuc- 
cessful, and  the  trade  of  Odessa  experienced  consider- 
able losses.  The  tchetvert  of  wheat,  which  but  lately 
was  worth  forty-five  roubles,  was  soon  reduced  to 
twenty,  and  the  following  year  oflfered  for  thirteen. 
From  that  time  the  only  corn  exported  was  for  the 
account  of  the  Genoese  and  the  Greeks,  who  were 
satisfied  with  a  moderate  profit,  considering  themselves 
fortunate  in  having  an  opportunity  of  employing  their 
vessels,  wliich  would  otherwise  have  remained  idle  in 
their  ports,  so  much  had  tlieir  numbers  increased  dur- 
ing those  years  in  which  fortuitous  events  had  pro- 
duced an  unexampled  activity. 

But  if  these  seasons  of  successful  speculation  were 
as  transient  as  they  were  brilliant,  the  losses  conse- 
quent upon  them  were  soon  repaired,  and  the  trade  of 
Southern  Russia  still  progressed  with  rapid  strides.  A 
new  market  was  there  opened  to  the  trade  of  Western 


t 


11 


'% 


'& 


\    ) 


( 


I 


ii 


62 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


Europe,  and  the  importance  of  this  mart  became 
greater  as  the  population  of  these  favoured  regions 
increased,  and  in  proportion  to  the  influence  of  those 
new  foci  of  civilisation,  the  maritime  towns.  The  value 
of  the  exports  was  even  surpassed  by  that  of  the  im- 
ports, a  difference  constantly  on  the  increase.  After 
a  lapse  of  twenty  years,  the  value  of  the  goods  im- 
ported in  the  course  of  one  year  exceeded  by  six  times 
the  total  amount  furnished  by  the  custom-house  books 
at  the  commencement  of  that  period  ;  as  to  the  exports, 
their  excess  was  not  more  than  fourfold.  Whilst,  in 
consequence  of  the  increase  in  the  population,  the  im- 
portation trade  had  uniformly  been  greater,  that  of 
exportation  necessarily  underwent  many  fluctuations. 
The  reason  is  evident  : — Southern  Russia  purchases 
articles  of  which  she  stands  in  actual  need,  and  which 
she  cannot  produce ;  whilst,  in  her  turn,  she  can  duly 
ofler  the  foreigner  goods  in  which  Western  Europe 
herself  abounds,  and  for  which  she  never  applies,  ex- 
cept when  the  failure  of  her  own  harvests  compels  her. 
If  the  quantity  of  grain  exported  has  varied  consider- 
ably from  one  year  to  another,  still  greater  fluctua- 
tions have  taken  place  in  the  price  of  this  commodity  : 
the  tchetvert  of  wheat,  which  at  one  time  sold  for 
forty-five  roubles,  has  frequently  been  bought  for 
seven. 

This  great  depreciation  of  this  species  of  produce 


t 


il 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


63 


has,  however,  had  a  beneficial  effect,  by  compelling  tlie 
population  to  redouble  their  efforts  in  order  to  create 
new  sources  of  wealth.  In  fact,  the  iron  and  copper 
transported  upon  the  Don  to  Taganrog  have  often 
found  there  an  advantageous  sale.  At  this  time,  even 
the  furs  of  Siberia  have  obtained  good  prices  at 
Odessa :  the  quantities  of  wool,  wax,  cordage,  hemp, 
flax,  and  grain,  requisite  for  the  manufacture  of  oil, 
sent  by  Southern  Russia,  becoming  more  considerable 
every  year,  the  nature  of  this  city's  commercial  rela- 
tions with  abroad  has  already  partly  ceased  to  be  what 
it  was ;  and  perhaps  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when 
the  exportation  of  grain  will  no  longer  be  considered 
as  the  staple  of  its  commerce. 

The  transit  law  promulgated  in  1818,  and  the 
opening  of  the  free  port  of  Odessa,  were  productive  of 
such  happy  results,  that  during  the  years  1820  and 
1821  the  trade  of  that  city  was  more  prosperous  than 
ever.  Subsequently,  the  different  wars  of  which  the 
south  of  Europe  was  the  theatre,  crippled  it  to  so  great 
a  degree,  that  the  commercial  losses  of  Odessa  were 
very  serious.  Thus  the  various  capitals  employed  in 
the  trade  of  this  town,  which  in  1821  amounted  to 
10,760,000  roubles,  did  not  the  following  year  exceed 
7,190,000  roubles;  in  1823,  5,804,000  roubles ;  and 
in  1824,  the  total  was  not  above  5,668,000  roubles, 


)'    ; 


m 


1 1 
I. 


64 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


( 


i 


i 


a  sum  wliich  must  naturally  be  expected  to  diminish 
still  further  in  succeeding  years. 

To  compensate,  however,  for  this,  the  treaty  of 
Adrianople,  by  which  the  navigation  of  the  Black 
Sea  was  declared  for  ever  free,  and  the  passage  of  the 
Bosphorus  opened  to  all  flags  without  exception, 
introduced  a  new  era  of  prosperity  for  the  ports  of 
Southern  Russia. 

Notwithstanding  deficient  crops,  which  for  some 
time  deprived  these  countries  of  their  natural  re- 
sources, their  commercial  activity  has  redoubled. 
The  yearly  balance  of  trade  has  constantly  been  in 
favour  of  Russia,  and  particularly  so  at  Odessa  :  indeed, 
a  mere  cursory  glance  at  the  actual  trade  of  this 
city  will  suffice  to  prove  that  the  impulse  it  has 
received  will  be  permanent.  In  1835  the  value  of 
the  foreign  imports  amounted  to  17,539,197  roubles, 
a  sum  exceeding  by  2,550,068  roubles  the  balance 
of  the  [preceding  year  ;  on  the  other  hand,  Russian 
produce  was  exported  to  the  amount  of  23,981,234 
roubles,  that  is,  4,707,800  roubles  more  than  in 
1834,  although  the  corn  trade  was  insignificant  when 
compared  with  that  of  former  years,  378,100  tchet- 
verts  only  having  been  sold  for  6,673,091  roubles, 
whilst  in  one  of  the  preceding  years  Odessa  had 
exported  more  than  one  million  and  a  half  of 
tchetverts. 


I 


TRADE    OF    ODESSA. 


65 


An  account  published  on  the  30th  June,  (12th  July,) 
of  the  commerce  of  this  city  during  the  first  five  months 
of  1836,  allows  us  to  anticipate  still  more  prosperous 
results  for  the  present  year  ;    the  more  so,  as  the  very 
evident  increase  in  the  exports  exhibited  by  that  account 
is  owing  much  more  to  the  new  branches  of  agricultural 
industry  than  to  the  corn  trade.     Western  Europe  is 
fully  aware  of  the  advantages  offered  it  by  this  market, 
which  is  daily  increasing  in  importance ;  the  beneficial 
influence  exercised  by  the  growing  prosperity  of  the 
commerce   of  the    Black    Sea   upon    the  interior   of 
Russia  is  incalculable,  and  if  we  have  already  been 
justified  in  congratulating  ourselves  upon   these   re- 
sults, what   brilliant   hopes  may  we  not  reasonably 
indulge  for  the  future  ! 


if 


VOL.  II. 


P 


66 


RUSSIAN  COLONIES  IN  AMERICA. 


» 


• 


[ 


In   directing  our  attention   towards  those  European 
colonies    which  are  established  beyond  sea,  we  can 
frequently   congratulate    ourselves   upon   the    happy 
influence   they   have  exercised  over  nations  as  wild 
and  uncultivated  as  the  regions  they  inhabit.     But 
the  details  of  their  history  prove   to  us   that  there, 
where  the  beauty  of  the  climate  and  the  richness  of 
the  soil  appear  to  hold  out  peculiar  advantages,  the 
colonists    have   not    known    how    to   turn    them    to 
account ;  whilst  in  other  parts  the  new  settlers  have 
had  to  contend  against  obstacles  made,  as  it  were, 
for  the  express  purpose  of  discouraging  them.     The 
Russian  colonies,  especially  in  North  America,  bear 
scarcely    any    resemblance    to   the   other   European 
establishments  which  occupy  the  greater  portion    of 
that  vast  continent. 

Thick   fogs   continually   brood  over   these  shores ; 


RUSSIAN    COLONIES. 


67 


some  parts  of  tlie  country,  bristling  with  mountains 
of  difficult  access,  present  at  every  step  impenetrable 
forests  and  extensive  morasses  ;  others,  wholly  without 
vegetation,  offer  to  the  eye  nothing  but  sterile  rocks. 
In  short,  the  nature  of  the  climate,  and  that  of  the 
soil  itself,  equally  oppose  prodigious  obstacles  to 
agriculture.  The  Russians  have,  therefore,  been 
obliged  to  imitate  the  aborigines  in  renouncing  all 
attempts  to  form  permanent  establishments  in  the 
interior,  and  in  fixing  their  abode  upon  the  borders 
of  the  sea ;  it  being  there  only  that  the  chase,  fishing, 
and  trade,  could  furnish  them  with  the  means  of 
subsistence. 

The  Russians  also  who  inhabit  this  remote  part  of 
the  empire  do  not  repair  thither  as  to  a  settled  home, 
diflfering  in  this  from  the  practice  of  every  other 
colony.  They  consist  either  of  officers  in  the  Imperial 
navy  and  civil  employes,  who  again  quit  these  shores 
after  a  service  of  five  years,  or  else  of  mechanics  and 
workmen  sent  by  the  American  Company.  These 
latter,  whose  engagement  is  for  seven  years,  also 
return  home  upon  that  term  having  expired ;  and, 
even  during  the  time  of  their  sojourn  in  the  colonies, 
their  names  still  remain  upon  the  registers  of  their 
district,  and  the  class  to  which  they  originally 
belonged  :  exempted  only  from  the  conscription,  they 
still   continue   to  pay  taxes;  in  short,   the  place  of 

F  2 


1*4. 


'■Kl 


I    < 


68 


INDIAN    TRIBES. 


their  birth  still  continues  to  be  regarded  as  their  legal 

abode. 

Whilst  the  European  population  is  thus  from  time 
to  time  renewed,  it  has  been  observed  with  regret 
that  here,  as  upon  the  eastern  coast  of  the  new  con- 
tinent,  the   character   and  habits  of  the    aborigines 
oppose   great   difficulties  to  every  attempt  made  for 
the  purpose  of  enabling  them  to  participate  in  the 
benefits  of  civilisation.     Indeed,   the   history    of  the 
English  colonists  might  induce  the  belief  that   the 
tribes  wandering  through  the  vast  forests  of  America, 
and  Hving  upon  the  produce  of  the  chase,  are  not 
susceptible  of  so  great  a  blessing.     In  vain  have  the 
colonists  brought  them  its  germ,  by  introducing  laws 
for  the  protection  of  labour,  property,  agriculture,  and 
the  first  rudiments  of  commerce ;  these  people  prefer 
withdrawing  themselves  by  flying  into  the  depths  of 
their  woods,  or  if  some  few  do  remain,   they  quickly 
pine   away  and  perish  like  some  wild   plant  trans- 
ferred  from  its   natural  bed    into    the    green-house. 
In  the  Russian  estabUshments,  likewise,  many  attempts 
of  this  description   have  proved   abortive.    Although 
the  company  have  cultivated   at  Hadiak,  and  in  the 
islands  of  Ounalachka  and   Askha,  (spots  where  the 
nature  of  the  soil  allowed  them  some  hopes  of  success,) 
fields  which  at  least  produced  the  potato,  and  although 
they  have   also  reared    cattle   there,    nothing   could 
induce  the  natives  to  follow  this  example. 


INDIAN    TIIIBES. 


69 


The   musket  is   undoubtedly   a     very    useful    gift 
for  nations  who  live  by  hunting,  but  this  weapon  has 
only  rendered  the  chase  more  easy,  without  in  the 
least  degree  producing  any  amelioration  of  the  savage 
habits  of  the  American.     In  short,  although  a  nume- 
rous population  has  not  disappeared,  as  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Hudson  and  the  Delaware,  villages  formerly 
inhabited  are  now  wholly  deserted.     But  the  Ame- 
rican Company  liave  not  been  discouraged.     Since  its 
first    establishment,    and    more    especially    since   its 
reorganisation    in    1821,    it    has    never   relaxed    its 
generous  efibrts  for  putting  an  end  to  evils  apparently 
inevitable.      The   inhabitants   of  Kadiak  and  of  the 
Aleontic  Isles,  treated  like  all  the  other  nations  sub- 
ject to  the   Russian   sceptre,   pay  neither  taxes   nor 
tribute;  the  sole  obligation   imposed  upon  them   is 
that   of  remaining    three    years    in    the    service    of 
the    company,   which  has    the   right    of    employing 
them    during  that   time  in    hunting,    fishing,    or  in 
agricuUure,  paying  them  for  their  labour  the  price 
fixed  by  a  tariflT.     The  inhabitants  of  the  American 
continent,   three   tribes   only  excepted,   and  those  of 
the  Kouryles,   are    exempted    even    from    this   duty. 
Hospitals  and  schools  are  established  at  Novo  Ark- 
hangelsk at  the  company's  expense,  which  also  takes 
upon  itself  the  maintenance  of  the  orphans  and  chil- 
dren   of    those    among    tlie    tribes    whose   family    is 


\  i 

f 


f 


liii 


I't 


!   f 


W 


70 


CREOLES. 


numerous.  In  these  schools  the  children  are  taught 
reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  and  the  precepts  of 
religion.  The  priests  attached  to  the  churches  of 
these  colonies  occasionally  traverse  the  remotest 
regions,  and,  thanks  to  their  zeal,  the  inhabitants  who 
become  really  converted  to  the  christian  religion  are 
now  sensible  of  its  vast  benefits. 

The  condition  of  the  Creoles,  born  of  Russian 
fathers  and  native  mothers,  has  been  equally  the 
object  of  a  benevolent  solicitude.  The  people  thus 
born  enjoy  all  the  privileges  granted  in  Russia  to  the 
class  of  tradesmen,  besides  which  they  are  free  from 
all  taxes.  If,  however,  they  have  been  brought  up 
at  the  company's  expense,  the  latter  may  retain  them 
in  its  service  for  the  term  of  ten  years.  Many  of 
them  have  been  educated  in  the  schools  at  St.  Peters- 
burgh  ;  others  have  obtained  employment  in  the 
colonies ;  others  again  exercise  trade  there,  and  some 
command  vessels  belonging  to  the  company. 

But  the  company's  task  is  not  yet  ended ;  greater 
improvements  are  still  necessary:  their  generous 
efforts  have  not,  however,  proved  fruitless ;  already 
for  several  years  the  number  of  the  population  has 
remained  stationary,  mortality  has  diminished,  and 
emigration  ceased,— all  of  which  circumstances  are 
highly  important. 


71 


CULTIVATION    OF 

THE   VINE,   THE    MULBERRY   TREE,   AND 

THE   SUGAR  CANE, 

IN    THE    SOUTHERN    rROVINCES. 


I 

t 


i 


Owing  to  the  vast  extent  of  her  empire,  and  the  great 
range  of  her  temperature,  Russia  is  enabled  to  cul- 
tivate successfully  the  productions  of  every  clime. 
How  striking  is  the  difference  between  those  provinces 
whose  only  dependence  is  upon  the  sale  of  their 
furs,  and  those  where  the  vine  grows  in  wild  luxuri- 
ance along  the  margin  of  their  native  streams  !  It 
may  not  only  justly  be  said  that  one  half  of  the 
empire  serves  as  colonies  to  the  other,  but  that 
the  kind  of  cultivation  of  which  these  different 
countries  are  susceptible  may  be  varied  to  infi- 
nity. Throughout  the  empire,  associations,  encou- 
raged and  protected  by  the  government,  are  actively 
engaged   in    developing   that    kind    of   labour    best 


72 


CULTUUE    OF    THE    VINE    AND 


i« 


I 


i 


adapted  for  each  locality,  and  in  discovering  new 
sources  of  national  opulence.  Each  province  pos- 
sesses means  of  wealth  peculiar  to  itself;  some  owe 
their  prosperity  to  the  free  trade,  others  are  indebted 
for  it  to  their  labour  in  the  mines  ;  corn  and  cattle 
constitute  the  riches  of  the  central  districts,  while  the 
southern  ones  abound  in  productions  still  more  pre- 
cious. 

Favoured,  however,  as  these  countries  are  with 
abundant  harvests,  the  produce  of  a  genial  climate 
and  a  rich  soil,  their  rural  occupations  should  not  be 
confined  to  the  growth  of  grain  alone ;  indeed,  nature 
herself  appears  to  have  suggested  the  kind  of  hus- 
bandry best  fitted  for  these  regions,  by  adorning  the 
banks  of  the  Don  witli  festoons  of  the  vine,  the 
spontaneous  production  of  the  soil.  The  government, 
far  from  confining  itself  to  the  encouragement  of  mere 
private  speculation,  has  taken  a  most  lively  interest 
in  these  labours,  not  only  by  originating  them,  but 
by  making  itself  responsible  for  the  first  attempts. 

Schools  for  the  vine-dressers  have  been  establislied 
in  several  provinces,  and  gardens  of  suflftcient  extent 
for  making  their  experiments  upon  a  proportionate 
scale  allotted  them. 

Simultaneously  with  these,  another  mode  of  pro- 
duction, equally  valuable  and  well  adapted  to  these 
climates,  has  been  the  object  of  the  government's  con- 


OF    THE    MULBERRY. 


73 


I 


stant  attention,  proofs  of  which  may  be  seen  in  the 
vast  plantations  of  mulberry  trees,  which  have  been 
formed  near  all  the  principal  towns  of  the  southern 
districts. 

Every  requisite  facility,  every  privilege  calculated 
to  insure  success  in  the  production  of  silk,  is,  more- 
over, afforded  to  all  who  may  be  disposed  to  embark 
their  property  in  undertakings  of  this  description,  be 
they  individuals  or  companies.  Not  long  since,  a  few 
capitalists,  who  purposed  growing  the  mulberry  tree 
in  the  provinces  on  the  other  side  of  Mount  Caucasus, 
obtained,  by  way  of  encouragement,  the  following 
valuable  indulgences.  A  government  grant  made 
over  to  them,  for  the  period  of  thirty  years,  all  the 
plantations  belonging  to  the  crown  in  the  province  of 
Chelkinsk;  they  were  exempted  from  rent  for  five 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  it  is  to  com- 
mence at  the  rate  of  twenty  per  cent.,  over  and  above 
the  annual  revenue  which  these  forests  brought  into 
the  public  treasury  from  the  year  1830  to  1836.  The 
peasants  who,  living  upon  these  domains,  have  hitherto 
worked  in  the  plantations,  are  required  to  render  the 
same  services  to  the  company,  receiving  as  wages  one 
half  of  the  cocoons.  In  addition  to  this,  the  govern- 
ment has  presented  to  the  company  five  thousand 
dessetines  *  of  waste  land,  to   be  assigned  to  them,  in 

*  The    dessctine  is  a  Russian  superficial   measure  containing 


i!i 


m 


I 


:!     1 


74 


GOVERNMENT    INDULGENCES. 


I 


!  ' 


lots  of  about  five  hundred  dessetines,  in  the  several 
trans-Caucasian  provinces.  Upon  condition  of  form- 
ing new  plantations  there,  the  company  will  enjoy  the 
grant  for  thirty  years,  during  which  period  it  will  not 
only  be  exempt  from  all  public  taxes,  but  will  also 
participate  in  the  privileges  and  immunities  granted 
to  merchants  who  are  members  of  the  first  geld. 

In  conferring  these  and  similar  indulgences,  the 
sole  object  of  the  government  has  been  that  of 
encouragement,  without  any  wish  to  dictate  the  course 
to  be  pursued  by  the  speculators  ;  as  a  proof  of  which, 
it  is  expressly  stated  in  the  ukase  authorising  the 
company,  that  the  said  company  shall  possess  no  mo- 
nopoly or  exclusive  privilege  whatsoever,  and  that 
nothing  thereby  granted  shall  prevent  or  hinder  any 
other  company,  formed  on  a  smaller  scale,  from  esta- 
blishing itself  in  these  provinces. 

Such  are  the  means  employed  for  imparting  greater 
activity  and  giving  a  fuller  developement  to  this  de- 
scription of  enterprise,  and  success  has  partially  rea- 
lised the  hopes  conceived ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  results  obtained  in 
seven  or   eight   different   provinces   are   not  equally 

2,400  Russian  square  fathoms,  equal  to  ]3,066|  English  square 
yards,  or  2  acres  2  roods  32  perches ;  hence  ten  dessetines 
equal  27  English  acres  nearly,  and  5,000  dessetines  equal  13,500 
acres  nearly. 


PllODUCTION    OF    SILK. 


75 


satisfactory.  In  the  government  of  Kharkoff*  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  mulberry  tree  makes  scarcely  any  pro- 
gress, although  not  less  than  fifteen  thousand  trees 
have  annually  been  planted  there  at  the  expense  of  the 
crown  :  in  that  of  Catherinosloff' the  growth  of  them  is 
almost  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the  German  colo- 
nists. To  compensate,  however,  for  this,  fresh  efforts 
have  been  made  in  the  central  provinces  of  the  mo- 
narchy, as  far  even  as  the  governments  of  Minsk, 
Poltava,  and  Mohiloff",  where  several  proprieters  have 
within  the  last  year,  endeavoured  to  naturalise  the 
plant ;  in  other  parts  of  the  empire  the  progress  has 
been  rapid. 

The  government  of  Kherson  or  Cherson,  for  in- 
stance, which,  in  1829,  could  only  furnish  three  poods 
ten  pounds  of  silk,  produced  last  year  not  less  than 
forty  poods,  the  greater  portion  of  which  was  pur- 
chased by  the  manufactory  of  Kichenoff*  at  the  rate  of 
ten  to  twelve  roubles  per  pood ;  nor,  thanks  to  the 
activity  diffused  through  the  province  by  the  con- 
tinually increasing  commerce  of  the  maritime  towns, 
is  the  condition  of  the  vineyards  less  prosperous.  The 
amount  of  the  harvests  is  every  year  further  aug- 
mented by  the  produce  of  lands  recently  cleared  by 
the  German  and  Bulgarian  colonies,  especially  in  the 
vicinity  of  that  young  but  promising  town  of  Odessa, 
which   has  become  the  focus  of  so  many  and   such 


i:    t 


76 


! 


li 


I 


!■ 


THE    CAUCASIAN    PROVINCES. 


various  interests;  and  although  the  quantity  of  grapes 
sold  was  very  considerable  in  1835,  not  less  than 
212,000  vedros  of  wine  have  since  been  made,  being* 
twice  as  much  as  in  the  preceding  year. 

Great,  however,  as  is  this  increase,  it  is  clear  that 
even  this  province  cannot  long  compete  with  two 
others,  destined,  according  to  all  appearance,  to  be- 
come the  centre  of  these  two  branches  of  Russian 
industry, — we  mean  the  Crimea  and  the  countries 
situated  at  the  base  of  Mount  Caucasus. 

But  even  among  these  provinces,  embellished  as 
they  have  been  by  nature,  and  peculiarly  adapted  for 
the  cultivation  of  the  vine  and  the  mulberry  tree,  a 
difference  exists;  for  although  the  climate  is  alike 
genial  in  each,  and  the  soil  of  the  one  not  inferior  to 
that  of  the  other,  man's  activity  has  not  been  equally 
exerted  in  both. 

In  the  Caucasian  provinces,  where  cultivation  is  vet 
in  its  infancy,  the  inhabitants  know  not  how  to  turn 
to  account  the  riches  which  nature  has  poured  forth 
so  plentifully  before  them.  The  towns  also  are  few, 
the  communication  between  them  difficult,  and 
the  price  of  necessaries  of  every  kind  too  low  to 
encourage  trade  ;  the  consequence  of  which  is,  that 
the  new  plantations  of  mulberry  trees,  formed  by  go- 
vernment every  year,  are  frequently  neglected ;  and 
whilst  the  wines  produced  from  the   gardens  of  the 


ACTIVITY    IN    THE    CRIMEA. 


77 


vine-dressers'  school  are  sold  at  twelve  roubles  a  vedro, 
the  price  of  those  sold  by  the  proprietors  never  exceeds 
one  rouble  sixty  copecks.  Moreover,  the  year  1835 
proved  a  very  disastrous  one ;  the  severe  frosts  in  the 
spring,  so  prejudicial  to  vegetation  in  general,  de- 
stroyed immense  numbers  of  silk- worms,  so  that  these 
provinces  have  produced  only  about  nine  hundred 
thousand  vedros  of  wine,  eighty  thousand  of  brandy, 
and  one  hundred  and  eighty  poods  of  silk,  quantities 
considerably  less  than  those  of  preceding  years. 

In  the  Crimea,  on  the  contrary,  where  Russian  pro- 
prietors have  endeavoured  to  employ  their  capital  to 
advantage  by  clearing  the  waste  lands,  such  activity 
has  been  manifested,  that  the  improvement  exceeds 
hopes  at  one  time  deemed  extravagant.  The  govern- 
ment had  granted  land  upon  the  condition,  now  every- 
where fulfilled,  that  the  vine  should  be  cultivated. 
In  the  north-west  coast  of  the  Peninsula,  835,000  feet 
of  ground  have  been  planted  with  the  vine  during  the 
course  of  last  year ;  yet  however  great  this  number 
may  be,  it  is  nearly  100,000  short  of  those  planted  in 
1831  in  this  part  of  the  Taurida.  Not  less  activity 
is  apparent  in  the  other  districts  of  this  province,  and 
the  sum-total  of  vines  planted  this  year  amounts  to 
1 ,454,000  feet,  the  annual  produce  of  w^hich  will  be, 
in  five  or  six  years,  at  least  75,000  vedros.  Although 
the  harvest   of  1835   was  a  third  less  than  that   of 


I 


i" 


I 


' 


I 


- 


78 


ACTIVITY    IN    THE    CRIMEA. 


1831,  the  quantity  of  wine  produced  amounts,  notwitli- 
standing,  to  356,000  vedros,  the  superior  qualities  of 
which  are  worth  as  much  as  twelve  roubles  per  vedro. 
To  such  a  degree  have  experiments  been  carried  by 
bringing  offsets,  sometimes  from  the  borders  of  the 
Rhine,  and  at  others  from  France  and  the  islands, 
that  in  the  gardens  belonging  to  government  not  less 
than  six  hundred  varieties  of  the  vine  are  now  culti- 
vated. 

The  production  of  silk  is  less  flourishing  in  the 
Crimea.  In  1835  the  whole  province  furnished  only 
seven  and  a  half  poods.  This  quantity  is,  however, 
double  that  of  the  former  year,  and  everything  pro- 
mises further  improvement.  But  although  accident 
may  sometimes  retard  the  progress  of  cultivation,  and 
a  less  abundant  harvest  may  occasionally  ill  requite 
the  labourer's  toil,  these  sources  of  wealth  are  not  the 
less  secured  to  Russia ;  and  the  amount  of  their  pro- 
duce sufiiciently  attests  the  importance  of  them  : 
90,050  feet  have  been  planted  with  the  mulberry  tree 
in  the  southern  countries  during  1835,  and  13,302^ 
dessetines  with  the  vine,  the  produce  from  which  has 
been  62,369  poods  of  grapes,  1,1 1 1,209  vedros  of  wine, 
and  82,600  of  brandy. 

Amongst  several  agricultural  experiments  lately 
made  in  the  Caucasian  provinces,  two  appear  parti- 
cularly interesting. 


INTERESTING    EXPERIMENTS. 


79 


In  some  parts  of  Leukoron,  on  the  borders  of  the 
Caspian  Sea,  the  sugar-cane  has  been  for  a  consider- 
able time  in  cultivation,  constant  care  being  taken  to 
remove  the  roots  from  the  earth  on  the  approach  of 
winter,  to  be  replanted  in  the  ensuing  spring.  Last 
year  Yegor  Mamveloff,  living  at  Kislar,  sent  for  some 
of  these  plants,  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  the  cul- 
tivation of  them  into  the  neighbourhood  of  his  native 
town  ;  these,  after  being  planted,  have  completely  suc- 
ceeded, notwithstanding  the  severe  colds  to  which  they 
were  exposed  in  the  spring.  The  cultivation  of  the 
beet-root  would,  it  is  generally  supposed,  be  more  ad- 
vantageous, but  of  this  experience  will  soon  convince 
us  ;  at  all  events,  it  would  be  exceedingly  gratifying  to 
ascertain  whether  or  not  the  sugar-cane  can  flourish  in 
so  high  a  latitude.  Another  experiment,  made  in  the 
course  of  the  same  year,  is  of  still  greater  importance 
and  more  certain  utility, — that  of  the  cultivation  of 
indigo  {polygonum  tinctorium,)  an  account  of  which 
will  be  found  in  the  St.  Petersburgh  Journal  of  the 
23rd  of  May  last,  No.  62. 


m 


80 


i' 


SKETCH  OF  THE  LABOURS 


OF    THE 


ST.  PETERSBURGH  ACADEMY  OF  SCIENCES, 


DURING  THE  YEARS  1835  AND   183G. 


Unremittingly  engaged  in  enterprises  as  vast  as 
important,  the  St.  Petersburgh  Academy  of  Sciences 
has  frequently  despatched  various  scientific  expedi- 
tions, sometimes  towards  the  remotest  parts  of  Europe, 
or  the  wild  mountains  and  desert  plains  of  Central 
Asia,  and  at  others  to  the  shores  of  the  Caspian  Sea, 
or  the  banks  of  the  Frozen  Ocean.  Thus,  in  the  year 
1835,  one  of  its  members,  M.  Sjogren,  traversed  the 
valleys  of  the  Caucasus,  studying  the  manners  and 
language  of  their  inhabitants  in  general,  but  more 
particularly  those  of  the  Ossetes,  a  race  in  which 
Klaproth  thought  he  could  recognise  the  Ases  and 
the  Alans  of  the  time  of  the  lower  empire. 

About  the  same  period,  M.  Parrot  visited  the  Lake 


y 


ST.    PETERSBURGH    ACADEMY. 


81 


of  Bourtrick,  in  Livonia  ;  and  being  provided  with  all 
the  necessary  implements,  succeeded  in  obtaining 
from  its  bottom  a  large  quantity  of  fossil  bones,  espe- 
cially the  teeth  of  an  unknown  animal  of  the  Taurian 
tribe. 

During  the  year  1835  the  Academy  published  two 
new  volumes  of  its  memoirs,  together  with  sixty  essays, 
or  treatises,  which  had  been  presented  to  it.  Of  this 
number  twenty-four  are  upon  the  subjects  of  mathe- 
matics and  natural  philosophy,  twenty-six  upon  na- 
tural history,  and  ten  upon  general  history,  philology, 
and  political  economy.  Of  these  papers  fifty-two  are 
the  productions  of  academicians,  while  the  remaining 
eight  have  been  contributed  by  learned  foreigners. 

The  superb  collections  of  the  Academy  were  greatly 
increased  in  1835.  The  library  especially  was  en- 
riched by  a  splendid  donation  of  the  Emperor,  con- 
sisting of  a  considerable  number  of  literary  works 
written  in  the  principal  languages  of  Central  Asia. 
This  collection  is  composed,  first,  of  a  selection  of  Chi- 
nese and  Mandjour  books,  maps,  and  plans,  as  well 
as  several  productions  of  the  Japanese,  Thibetian, 
Mongul,  and  Indian  literature ;  second,  of  seventy- 
three  manuscripts  in  the  Sanscrit  language,  formerly 
the  property  of  Colonel  Stuart ;  and  third,  of  forty- 
three  works  in  the  Mongul  and  Thibetian  language, 
collected  at  Pekin  by  the  archimandrite  Peter. 

VOL.    II.  G 


!  til 


82 


FUNDS    OF    THE    ACADEMY. 


Such  were  the  various  labours  of  this  Academy  within 
the  short  space  of  a  single  year.     Those  which   en- 
gaged its  attention  in  1836  were,  perhaps,  still  more 
interesting.     New  regulations  have  been  introduced 
at  the  desire  of  the  Emperor,  who  was  anxious  to  im- 
part to  it  a  greater  efficiency  and  energy.     In  confor- 
mity with  these,  the  number  of  the  academicians  in  the 
three  classes  will  be  twenty-one,  with  ten  assistants  ; 
the    number    of  academicians  extraordinary,   and  of 
honorary  and    corresponding  members,   is  unlimited. 
The  sums  allotted  for  the  expenses  of  the  establishment 
are,  by  the  new  arrangement,  raised  from  206,100  rou- 
bles to  241,800  roubles.     The  endowments  of  the  dif- 
ferent collections  belonging  to  the  academy  have  expe- 
rienced a  still  greater  augmentation,  since,  according 
to  the  old  regulations,  they  did  not  exceed  14,000  roubles 
per  annum,  and  now  62,000  roubles,  including  36,700 
roubles,    may    be    yearly    laid    out    for    such    pur- 
chases as  the  Academy  may  judge  fit.     In  addition  to 
these  sums,  the  Academy  has  also  at  its  disposal  the 
profits  arising  from  the  almanacs  and  journals  under 
its  immediate  direction.     These  amount  annually  to 
150,000  roubles. 

His  Majesty  the  Emperor  has  also  more  than  once 
been  pleased  to  assist  this  institution  with  pecuniary 
advances,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  execution  of  some 
important  enterprise :  50,000  roubles  were,  with  this 


,! 


SCIENTIFIC    JOURNEYS. 


83 


view,  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Academy  during 
the  course  of  the  present  year,  in  order  to  meet  the 
expenses  of  a  most  interesting  expedition  undertaken 
to  determine  by  trigonometrical  admeasurement  the 
difference  of  level  between  the  Black  and  Caspian 
Seas.  The  results  are  not  yet  obtained ;  but  from  the 
exactness  with  which  the  experimental  level  taken 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dorpat  has  been  made,  there 
is  every  reason  to  hope  they  will  add  equal  honour  to 
the  Academy  and  its  learned  members. 

Several  other  scientific  journeys  have  been  under- 
taken simultaneously  by  different  members  of  the 
Academy,  among  which  we  may  mention  that  of  M. 
Trinuis,  whose  object  is  to  visit  the  rich  botanical 
collections  of  Europe ;  that  of  M.  Brandt,  whose  inten- 
tion is  to  be  present  at  the  grand  meeting  of  German 
physicians  and  naturalists  at  Jena ;  and,  lastly,  that 
of  M.  Nordman,  who  purposes  making  researches  in 
natural  history  in  Ahkhasia,  Gouriel,  Mongrelia, 
and  Imeritia. 

The  activity  of  the  Academy  in  the  various  branches 
of  science  and  literature  has  not  been  less  remarkable. 
As  proofs,  we  may  adduce  the  interesting  and  learned 
papers  of  MM.  Weinmann,  Schmidt,  Baer,  Trinuis, 
Brandt,  and  Kupffer.  Several  other  literary  works, 
of  equal  if  not  superior  interest,  are  on  the  point  of 
appearing,  particularly  the  micrometrical  admeasure- 

G  2 


f 


1 

I 


li 


J 


i 


^'1 

(J 


84 


LABOURS    OF    THE    ACADEMY. 


ment  of  compound  stars,  by  the  celebrated  astronomer 
M.  Shuive,  the  first  volume  of  M.  Bouniakovsky^s 
dictionary  of  the  mathematical  sciences,  and  M. 
Schmidt's  researches  upon  the  language  of  Thibet, 
to  be  followed  by  a  grammar  and  dictionary  of  that 


tongue. 


The  Academy  has  also  undertaken  the  publi- 
cation of  four  Memoirs  upon  the  north-west  coast  of 
North  America  and  its  inhabitants,  as  well  as  of  Dr. 
Fritzches'  work  upon  the  pollen  of  vegetables,  and  Dr. 
Gebler's  essay  upon  the  Katoune  mountains. 

In  addition  to  the  labours  we  have  just  enumerated, 
the  Academy  has  also  published  eleven  new  editions 
of  its  Memoirs,  besides  a  new  journal  under  the  title 
of  Bulletin  Scientifique,  several  numbers  of  which 
have  already  appeared.  The  journal  contains  extracts 
from  memoirs  read  at  the  Academy,  interesting  por- 
tions of  its  correspondence,  and  general  information 
upon  subjects  connected  with  science  and  literature. 

In  the  sittings  of  1836,  eighty-six  different  memoirs 
were  read,  of  which  thirty-five  were  physico-mathe- 
matical,  thirty-eight  upon  natural  philosophy,  and 
fourteen  upon  history,  philology,  and  political  eco- 
nomy. Of  the  eighty-six,  sixty-two  were  contributed 
by  academicians,  five  by  employes  of  the  Academy 
who  are  not  members  of  it,  fifteen  by  correspondents, 
and  five  by  literati  not  included  in  either  of  the  above 
classes. 


MAGNIFICENT    OBSERVATORY. 


85 


The  collections  of  the  Academy  receive  continual 
acquisitions  from  abroad,  as  well  as  from  the  dif- 
ferent governors  of  provinces,  even  the  most  distant 
ones. 

We  must  not  omit  to  mention  the  magnificent 
observatory  now  in  progress  under  the  direction  of  a 
commission,  having  for  its  president  Admiral  Greig. 
Tliis  grand  work,  erected  upon  the  mountain  of  Pul- 
towa,  sixteen  wersts  from  St.  Petersburgh,  is  not  less 
remarkable  for  its  vast  and  beautiful  proportions  than 
for  the  superb  collection  of  instruments,  which  have 
cost  no  less  a  sum  than  231,281  roubles.  The  total 
expense  of  this  building  will  amount  to  more  than 
1,000,0000  roubles,  and  the  Emperor  has  assigned 
it  an  annual  sum  of  17,200  roubles.  It  is  expected 
that  at  the  close  of  1838  the  Russian  astronomers  will 
commence  their  learned  labours  in  the  most  vast,  most 
beautiful,  and  most  complete  observatory  in  Europe. 


Il 


K  i 


•  .1 


l< 


86 


TECHNOLOGICAL  SCHOOLS 


ESTABLISHED   IN  THE  ALTAI   MANUFACTORIES. 


The  progress  of  public  instruction  in  Russia  becomes 
every  day  more  rapid ;  every  year  new  schools  are 
opened  for  the  rising  generation,  but  the  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  the  era  is  the  organisation 
of  a  great  number  of  technological  schools,  the 
object  of  which  is  to  fit  the  pupils  for  a  particular 
calling.  Not  only  do  the  establishments  of  this  de- 
scription, which  are  dependent  upon  the  minister  for 
public  instruction,  increase  ;  but  also  others,  especially 
destined  to  prepare  young  people  for  some  branch  or 
other  of  the  administration,  are  formed  under  the 
direction  of  the  minister  of  war,  of  finance,  or  of  the 
interior. 

A  number  of  new  schools  have  been  organised  upon 
this  principle,  during  the  present  autumn,   in  one  of 


TECHNOLOGICAL    SCHOOLS. 


87 


the  most  remote  parts  of  the  empire,  near  the  manu- 
factories established  at  the  foot  of  the  Altai.  Placed 
under  the  direction  of  the  mining  commission,  which 
is  also  under  the  control  of  the  minister  of  finance, 
their  object  is  threefold;  first,  the  elementary  in- 
struction of  the  children  of  the  miners  and  workmen ; 
secondly,  it  is  proposed  to  give  to  such  of  the  children 
as  shall  show  most  aptitude,  an  education  which  shall 
enable  them  to  fill  subaltern  situations  in  govern- 
ment offices ;  and  thirdly,  to  impart  to  the  children 
of  persons  employed  in  the  department  of  mines  and 
manufactures,  such  information  as  will  enable  them 
to    enter    the    higher    schools   which    are    open   to 

them. 

For  this  purpose  elementary  schools,  to  the  number 
of  fourteen,  have  been  organised  near  the  foundries 
and  manufactories,  as  well  as  a  departmental  school 
at  Barnaoul.  Two  subsidiary  sections  are  formed 
for  teaching  such  technological  knowledge  as  would 
enable  the  pupils  to  fill  situations  in  forges,  manu- 
factories, and  foundries,  as  well  as  in  mines.  The 
number  of  pupils  is  provisionally  fixed  at  1,275  ;  it  is, 
however,  susceptible  of  increase. 

The  elementary  schools  are  open  equally  to  the 
children  of  employes  and  to  those  of  workmen; 
children  may  enter  at  eight  years  of  age,  but  must 
not  remain  beyond  that  of  thirteen.  Whilst  they  remain 


88 


ELEMENTARY    SCHOOLS. 


at  school,  they  are  maintained  at  the  expense  of 
government,  which  also  gives  them  every  month  a 
trifle  in  money. 

Each  school  is  divided  into  two  classes,  and  the 
method  adopted  is  that  of  mutual  instruction.  The 
pupils  are  instructed  in  reading  and  writing  ;  they 
are  also  taught  to  distinguish  the  diffierent  kinds  of 
minerals,  the  most  elementary  parts  of  arithmetic, 
and  perspective  drawing,  with  the  principles  of  reli- 
gion. 

The  elementary  schools  are  also  allowed  to  give 
instruction  to  other  children  than  those  of  eniployh 
and  miners  ;  but  the  government  does  not  undertake 
to  give  them  their  food,  and  their  parents  are  required 
to  pay  ten  roubles  every  six  months,  for  which  sum 
the  school  provides  the  necessary  books  of  instruc- 
tion. 

After  an  examination  which  takes  place  at  the 
close  of  the  course,  one  pupil  out  of  a  hundred  of  the 
second  class  is  selected  for  advancement  to  the  depart- 
mental school. 

Should  there  not  be  vacancies  sufiicient  for  those 
chosen,  such  as  cannot  be  immediately  admitted 
remain  provisionally  at  the  elementary  school,  to 
assist  the  instructors  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties. 

In  the  departmental  school  at  Barnaoul,  eighty 
pupils  are  educated  at  the  government  expense.     The 


DEPARTMENTAL    SCHOOLS. 


89 


\ 


instruction  given  in  the  three  classes  of  the  establish- 
ment embraces  the  principles  of  religion,  the  Russian 
grammar,  arithmetic,  geometry,  algebra  as  far  as 
quadratic  equations,  drawings,  and  caligraphy. 

An  examination  of  the  establishment  of  public 
instruction  in  the  department  takes  place  at  the  end 
of  the  year,  in  presence  of  the  inspector.  The  suc- 
cessful pupils  are  passed,  as  soon  as  a  vacancy  occurs, 
to  one  of  the  practical  sections  above  mentioned.  The 
number  of  youths  who  may  be  placed  in  each  is  at 
present  limited  to  ten.  There  are  two  classes.  In  the 
first  are  taught  the  elements  of  mineralogy  and  metal- 
lurgical chemistry,  the  use  of  the  blow-pipe,  the  art  of 
analysing  and  proving  minerals.  In  the  second,  the 
studies  include  the  elements  of  mineralogy,  mechanics 
as  connected  with  mining  operations,  subterraneous 
geometry,  geodosy,  geognosy,  and  the  practical  w^ork- 
ing  of  mines. 

The  instructors  for  the  practical  sections  are  chosen, 
in  preference,  from  among  the  officers  of  the  mining- 
corps,  and  an  annual  sum  of  30,710  roubles  has  been 
appropriated  for  the  maintenance  of  these  different 
schools. 


I   ; 


90 


SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  RUSSIAN  WOOLS. 


The  present  state  of  the  growth  of  wools  in  Europe  is 
a  striking  proof  that  perseverance  and  activity  can 
often  vanquish  even  those  obstacles  which  nature  her- 
self appears  to  have  opposed  to  the  progress  of  industry. 
In  former  times  the  Merino  flocks  of  Spain  (her  beau- 
tiful climate  and  mountain-pastures  being  deemed  indis- 
pensable for  the  perfection  of  the  breed)  were  objects  of 
envy,  nor  was  the  hope  of  competing  with  her  ever 
entertained.  In  the  present  day,  Germany  alone  pro- 
duces as  much  wool  of  the  first  quality  as  all  the  rest 
of  Europe  together.  Having  succeeded  in  establishing 
her  superiority  over  Spain,  she  supplies  the  manufac- 
tories of  England  with  the  produce  of  the  fleece,  with 
which  also  countries  in  still  higher  latitudes,  as  Sweden 
and  Scotland,  begin  to  enrich  themselves. 

Russia,  emulous  of  her  neighbours,  was  not  slow  in 
endeavouring  to  improve  her  resources  by  applying 


THE    WOOL    TRADE. 


91 


herself  to  this  important  branch  of  commerce.      It  is 
chiefly  in  three  parts  of  this  vast  empire  that  a  suc- 
cessful attempt  has  been  made  to  naturalise  the  Merino 
sheep,  viz.  in  Lesser  Russia,  in  thie  governments  com- 
prised under  the  name  of  New  Russia,  and  in  the 
provinces  on  the  shores  of  the  Baltic.     These  different 
regions,  so  remote  one  from  the  other,  are  too  dissi- 
milar to  enjoy  precisely  the  same  advantages.    Whilst, 
in  the  south,  a  temperate  climate  and  excellent  pas- 
ture land  insured  the  speculator  who  introduced  this 
branch  of  commerce  an  almost  certain  prospect  of 
success,  the  dryness  of  the  soil  and  the  severity  of  a 
long  winter  appeared  in  Esthonia  and  Livonia  almost 
insuperable  obstacles  to  the  successful  result  of  such 
undertakings.     But  here,  as  elsewhere,  proof  has  been 
given  of  the  justice  of  the  remark,  that  man's  perse- 
verance becomes  more  energetic  in  proportion  to  the 
difficulties  which  oppose  his  will,  and  the  depreciation 
of  grain  having  compelled  the  landed  proprietors  of 
the  Baltic  provinces  to  create  fresh  resources,  the  most 
rapid  improvement  in  this  trade   has  actually  been 
found   to  have  been   made  in  those  governments  the 
least  favoured  by  nature. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  from  what  has  been  said 
above,  that  the  results  in  the  southern  provinces  have 
not  proved  satisfactory  :  the  number  of  flocks  has  been 
constantly  increasing,   and  a  very  sensible  improve- 


I 


90 


SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  RUSSIAN  WOOLS. 


The  present  state  of  the  growtli  of  wools  in  Europe  is 
a  striking  proof  that  perseverance  and  activity  can 
often  vanquish  even  those  obstacles  which  nature  her- 
self  appears  to  have  opposed  to  the  progress  of  industry. 
In  former  times  the  Merino  flocks  of  Spain  (her  beau- 
tiful climate  and  mountain-pastures  being  deemed  indis- 
pensable for  the  perfection  of  the  breed)  were  objects  of 
envy,  nor  was  the  hope  of  competing  with  her  ever 
entertained.  In  the  present  day,  Germany  alone  pro- 
duces as  much  wool  of  the  first  quality  as  all  the  rest 
of  Europe  together.  Having  succeeded  in  establishing 
her  superiority  over  Spain,  she  supplies  the  manufac- 
tories of  England  with  the  produce  of  the  fleece,  with 
which  also  countries  in  still  higher  latitudes,  as  Sweden 
and  Scotland,  begin  to  enrich  themselves. 

Russia,  emulous  of  her  neighbours,  was  not  slow  in 
endeavouring  to  improve  her  resources  by  applying 


THE    WOOL    TRADE. 


91 


herself  to  this  important  branch  of  commerce.  It  is 
chiefly  in  three  parts  of  this  vast  empire  that  a  suc- 
cessful attempt  has  been  made  to  naturalise  the  Merino 
sheep,  viz.  in  Lesser  Russia,  in  the  governments  com- 
prised under  the  name  of  New  Russia,  and  in  the 
provinces  on  the  shores  of  the  Baltic.  These  different 
regions,  so  remote  one  from  the  other,  are  too  dissi- 
milar to  enjoy  precisely  the  same  advantages.  Whilst, 
in  the  south,  a  temperate  climate  and  excellent  pas- 
ture land  insured  the  speculator  who  introduced  this 
branch  of  commerce  an  almost  certain  prospect  of 
success,  the  dryness  of  the  soil  and  the  severity  of  a 
long  winter  appeared  in  Esthonia  and  Livonia  almost 
insuperable  obstacles  to  the  successful  result  of  such 
undertakings.  But  here,  as  elsewhere,  proof  has  been 
given  of  the  justice  of  the  remark,  that  man's  perse- 
verance becomes  more  energetic  in  proportion  to  the 
difficulties  which  oppose  his  will,  and  the  depreciation 
of  grain  having  compelled  the  landed  proprietors  of 
the  Baltic  provinces  to  create  fresh  resources,  the  most 
rapid  improvement  in  this  trade  has  actually  been 
found  to  have  been  made  in  those  governments  the 
least  favoured  by  nature. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  from  what  has  been  said 
above,  that  the  results  in  the  southern  provinces  have 
not  proved  satisfactory  :  the  number  of  flocks  has  been 
constantly  increasing,   and  a  very  sensible  improve- 


i 


^ 


92 


THE    WOOL    TRADE. 


I 


ment  has  taken  place  in  the  quality  of  the  wool. 
Scarcely  thirty  years  have  elapsed  since  the  first  sheep 
were  introduced  from  the  electorate  of  Saxony,  and  at 
the  present  time  there  are  not  less  than  250,000  in  the 
sheep-folds  of  the  government  of  Cherson  alone  ;  as 
many  in  the  Crimea ;  while  in  the  government  of  Ca- 
therinoslaff,  where  the  produce  of  wool  is  considered 
by  the  agriculturists  as  their  chief  source  of  wealth, 
the  number  of  Merinos  already  amounts  to  750,000. 
Thus  the  exportation  of  wool  via  Odessa  increases 
daily  :  in  182G  it  was  only  18,000  poods,  sold  at  the 
rate  of  ten  roubles  per  pood.  Nine  years  later,  in 
1835,  116,000  poods  were  exported,  the  price  being 
advanced  to  thirty  roubles  per  pood.  The  English 
especially,  who  in  1832  had  purchased  only  1,400 
poods,  quickly  perceived  the  advantages  offered  to 
them  by  this  new  market,  and  in  consequence  the 
next  year  their  vessels  loaded  in  the  port  of  Odessa 
37,668  poods  of  wool,  and,  in  1833,  not  less  than 
70,336. 

At  Taganrog  the  exports  have  increased  in  nearly 
the  same  proportion  ;  and  in  Little  Russia,  which  ex- 
ports overland  a  part  of  its  wools,  namely  vui  Radzi- 
wiloft'  and  Brodi,  this  commerce  is  acquiring  fresh 
activity. 

To  sum  up,  Russia,  lately  so  \)oot  in  this  species 
of  produce  that  even  in  1824  her  exports  of  it  did  not 


1^ 


MANUFACTURE    OF    CLOTH. 


93 


exceed  annually  35,000  poods-worth,  scarcely  600,000 
roubles,  sold  in  1834  more  than  eight  times  as 
much — that  is,  281,450  poods,  the  value  of  whicli 
amounted  to  1,557,066  roubles. 

The  demands  of  the  cloth  manufactories  in  the  in- 
terior have,  at  the  same  time,  become  more  consider- 
able,— a  circumstance  which  has  greatly  contributed  to 
enhance  the  price  of  the  raw  material.  These  manu- 
factories, which  have  not  been  in  existence  above 
twenty  years,  already  produced,  in  1822,  about  six 
millions  and  a  half  arsheens,  of  which  quantity  two 
thirds  were  destined  for  the  use  of  the  army.  In  1830 
more  than  eight  millions  of  arsheens  were  manufac- 
tured, and  of  this  quantity  two  fifths  were  of  a  coarse 
quality,  such  as  is  required  for  the  troops  ;  two  other 
fifths  of  middling,  and  the  remainder  of  a  fine  quality. 
Already  the  consumption  of  Russian  cloths  is  no  longer 
confined  to  the  interior  of  the  empire.  China  and  Cen- 
tral Asia  purchase  them  at  Kiakhta  and  Orenbourg ; 
and  this  trade,  insignificant  at  its  commencement,  is 
now  become  of  considerable  importance  :  the  value  of 
cloth  sold  to  the  Asiatic  neighbours  of  Russia  amounted 
at  first,  in  1824,  to  274,287  roubles  only  ;  in  1833,  it 
reached  the  sum  of  1,618,983  roubles. 

But  however  brilliant  such  results  may  appear, 
those  obtained  by  the  governments  situated  upon  the 
shores  of  the  Baltic  are  comparatively  more  so.  These 


I 


!■   i 


I       I 


94 


WOOL    TRADE    IN 


,*; 


provinces  are  less  extensive  and  rich  than  those  of  tlie 
south,  the  means  at  the  disposal  of  industry  less 
abundant ;  nor  have  they  been  more  than  fifteen  years 
engaged  in  the  production  of  wool.  Notwithstanding 
this,  however,  67  sheep-folds  in  Esthonia  could  last 
year  produce  53,244  head  of  Merinos ;  in  Livonia  the 
sheep-folds  were  57  in  number,  and  the  Merinos 
34,205.  Although  a  bad  hay  harvest  has  compelled 
several  proprietors  to  reduce  their  flocks  considerably, 
this  unfavourable  circumstance  has  not  deterred  other 
landholders  from  forming  new  establishments  of  this 
description,  so  that  in  the  month  of  January  of 
the  present  year  Esthonia  contained  100  sheep-folds 
and  44,765  Merino,  and  Livonia  69  folds  and  40,104 
Merinos. 

The  last  year,  three  cloth  manufactories  established 
at  Riga,  at  Zuitenhoff*,  and  Playden,  bought  up  for 
themselves  all  the  wool  of  these  two  provinces,  so  that 
no  exports  could  be  made,  and  the  proprietors  have 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  prices  they  obtained. 
In  general,  the  wool  of  these  countries  is  worth  from 
90  to  100  roubles  per  pood ;  that  of  the  seignorial 
estate  of  Trikaten  has  even  been  sold  at  the  price  of  1 18 
roubles.  Amongst  many  other  circumstances  worthy 
of  remark,  as  proving  the  beauty  of  the  Esthonian 
flocks,  we  will  quote  the  results  of  two  public  sales 
which  took  place  in  the  course  of  the  month  of  May 


THE    BALTIC    PROVINCES. 


95 


last.  At  the  seignorial  estate  of  OrrenholF,  ten  rams 
were  sold  at  from  100  to  200  roubles  per  head;  150 
ewes,  from  20  to  30  roubles  each.  At  Trikaten,  the 
sheep  of  which  are  still  more  esteemed,  31  rams,  181 
ewes,  and  128  sheep,  were  bought  at  the  high  price  of 
3,361  silver  roubles, — one  ram  fetched  121  silver  rou- 
bles, and  another  even  131. 

These  amounts  afford  sufficient  proof  of  the  perfec- 
tion to  which  this  branch  of  the  national  industry  has 
been  carried  in  the  Baltic  provinces. 


9(5 


COMMERCE    WITH    ASIA. 


97 


^> 


I 


ill! 


fl 


TRADE  AND  COMMERCE  OF  SIBERIA. 


The  active  and  profitable  commerce  of  the  Russian 
empire  with  Asia  is,  perhaps,  less  important  on  account 
of  its  extent,  than  from  the  beneficial  influence  it 
exercises  over  a  vast  portion  of  the  globe.  This  trade, 
by  placing  the  nations  of  Central  Asia  in  contact  with 
civilisation,  becomes  a  great  instrument  for  improving 
those  wandering  tribes,  whose  habits  and  characters 
have  undergone  so  little  change  during  a  long  series 
of  ages,  that  at  a  very  recent  date  their  condition  was 
precisely  such  as  it  is  described  to  have  been  in  the 
time  of  the  last  crusade  by  Marco  Polo  and  Rubriguis. 
This  happy  influence  extends  itself  even  to  distant 
countries  not  upon  the  immediate  borders  of  Russia. 
The  most  remote  parts  of  Boukharia,  the  Khanat  of 
Khiva,  Taschkent,  and  Kokant,  transmit  us  their  pro- 


^'    1 


duce,  while  our  frontiers  are  visited  by  their  merchants. 
Thibet  itself  begins  to  participate,  at  least  indirectly, 
in  these  commercial  relations. 

The  trade  of  Russia  with  so  many  different  nations 
is  necessarily  divided  into  a  great  number  of  branches, 
and  is  carried  on  through  various  routes.  The  Trans- 
caucasian  provinces  on  one  side  trade  with  Erzeroum, 
the  commercial  entrepot  of  Asia  Minor,  and  on  the 
other  with  Persia.  The  provinces  of  this  latter  em- 
pire, which  are  situated  upon  the  shores  of  the  Cas- 
pian Sea,  are  visited  by  vessels  arriving  from  Astrakan 
and  Bakou.  Numerous  caravans  bring  from  the  inte- 
rior of  Boukharia  and  Khiva  the  produce  of  that 
country,  to  the  markets  of  Orenburgh  and  Nijny- 
Novgorod,  while  in  one  of  the  most  remote  parts  of 
Russia,  at  Kiakhta,  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Altai 
mountains,  the  exchange  of  the  American  and  Sibe- 
rian furs  for  Chinese  produce  is  highly  profitable  to 
our  merchants. 

This  part  of  the  Russian  frontier,  known  by  the 
name  of  "  The  Line  of  the  Cossacks  of  Siberia,'^ 
traverses  the  extensive  plains  which  separate  Oural 
from  Altai.  The  direction  of  this  line  from  the  re- 
doubts of  Siberia  to  the  village  of  Finalka,  situated 
at  the  foot  of  the  Altai,  is  in  length  1,707  wersts,  and 
is  marked  by  four  towns,  eleven  fortresses,  fifteen 
fortified  advanced  posts,  and  eighty-four  redoubts. 

H 


li' 


i>ll 


98 


TRADE    OF    THE    COSSACKS. 


This  vast  space  is  chiefly  inhabited  by  Cossacks, 
colonised  warriors,  divided  into  several  regiments; 
and  although  other  colonists,  as  peasants,  shopkeepers, 
fee,  have  established  themselves  there,  the  population 
does  not,  at  present,  exceed  45,000.  The  Cossacks 
are  privileged  to  trade  with  the  Kirghises  without 
paying  the  taxes  of  either  of  the  three  gilds ;  in  their 
military  capacity,  they  mount  guard  in  turn  at  the 
difierent  posts;  their  leisure  time  is  employed  in 
the  rearing  of  cattle,  gardening,  hunting,  and  fish- 
ing. The  territory  they  occupy  is  for  the  most 
part  very  fertile,  especially  between  the  forty-ninth 
and  fifty-first  degrees  of  latitude,  where  the  soil 
spontaneously  produces  fruit  trees,  melons,  tobacco, 
&c. ;  while,  in  the  most  eastern  part,  the  solitary 
but  picturesque  and  fruitful  valleys  of  Altai,  rich  in 
every  description  of  odoriferous  flowers  and  aromatic 
herbs,  enable  the  inhabitants  to  rear  innumerable 
swarms  of  bees,  and  to  furnish  the  greatest  part  of 
Siberian  honey. 

Several  maufactories,  especially  that  of  leather,  have 
been  established  in  the  towns ;  but  trade  is  yet  in  its 
infancy,  and  scarcely  developed.  Its  progress  and  im- 
provement will  doubtless  hereafter  enhance  the  value 
of  the  natural  productions  of  these  regions,  among 
which  must  be  reckoned  the  lakes  of  salt  water  so 
numerous  in  the  Steppes. 


CRYSTAL    FIELDS. 


99 


Important  as  they  are,  in  relation  to  trade  and 
commerce,  these  lakes  likewise  present  a  series  of  in- 
teresting phenomena  to  the  naturalist.  Their  waters 
hold  so  great  a  quantity  of  salt  in  solution,  that  the 
action  of  the  summer  heat  is  of  itself  sufiicient  to  con- 
vert it  into  crystals,  which,  carried  towards  the  banks 
by  the  action  of  the  waves,  form  there  shoals  of  salt 
of  an  immense  extent.  Magazines  have  been  formed 
upon  the  borders  of  Lake  Koriak,  the  only  one 
situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Irtisch,  and  the  salt 
therein  preserved  generally  amounts  to  several  mil- 
lions of  poods.  Large  quantities  of  this  article  are 
annually  carried  across  the  Irtisch  to  Tobolsk. 

But  however  rich  this  lake  may  be,  it  is  less  so 
than  three  others, — the  Karasback,  the  Kalkaman,  and 
the  Dj^mantons,  situated  in  the  Steppes  on  the  right 
bank  of  Irtisch.  Each  of  these  basins  is  from  twenty 
to  twenty-five  wersts  in  circumference,  and  the  action 
of  the  solar  rays  produces  in  them  during  the  summer 
season  crystals  of  salt  so  numerous,  that  by  mutual 
contact  they  at  length  form  thick  and  solid  arches, 
which,  like  winter  ice,  cover  the  surface  of  the  lakes. 
These  masses  are  frequently  nine  inches  thick ;  the 
action  of  the  air  whitens  the  upper  layers,  the  lower 
ones  preserve  a  bluish  tint,  which  in  some  places 
assumes  a  beautiful  violet  hue,  and  the  solidity  of 
these  crystal  fields  is  such,  that  horses,  chariots,  and 

H   2 


1 


I 


'! 


I 


I      ! 


^li' 


I 


tu 


100 


THE    STEPPES. 


even  camels,  pass  over  them  with  the  greatest  safety. 
Ten  other  salt  lakes  are  also  found  between  the  Irtisch 
and  Redoubt  of  Siberia. 

Such  is  the  aspect  of  the  country  along  the  frontiers 
of  the  Russian  empire :  and  beyond  these  limits  ex- 
tend those  immense  Steppes,  the  original  country  of  so 
many  nations  which  have,  from  time  to  time,  spread 
themselves  over  Europe  and  Southern  Asia. 

These  vast  plains  resemble,  in  more  than  one  respect, 
the  Russian  territory  adjoining  them  ;  but  the  climate 
is  subject  to  still  greater  variations.  In  summer,  the 
thermometer  frequently  rises  to  34*^  of  Reaumur  in  the 
shade :  vegetation  then  becomes  parched,  and  although 
the  nights  are  always  cool,  the  heat  becomes  so  much 
the  more  insupportable  during  the  day,  owing  to 
the  country  being  almost  denuded  of  trees.  In 
winter  the  cold  is  excessive  ;  violent  hurricanes  often 
overthrow  the  ill-built  dwellings  of  the  natives, 
sw^eeping  away  cattle,  especially  the  sheep,  to  an 
incredible  distance.  The  soil  of  a  great  portion  of 
these  Steppes  is  composed  of  clay;  in  others  are 
found  immense  tracks  of  moving  sands  and  salt- 
water lakes.  Upon  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  which, 
unfortunately,  are  not  numerous,  the  earth  is  fertile 
and  fit  for  agricultural  purposes,  but  the  inhabitants 
have  not  yet  learnt  how  to  turn  these  advantao-es  to 
account. 


TRIBE    OF    KIUGHISES. 


101 


The  inhabitants,  who  may  amount  in  number  to 
3,000,000,  are  of  the  Mogul  origin ;  known  by  the 
name  of  Kirghises  Kaiassacks,  and  divided  into  three 
different  hordes,  they  may  be  considered  as  leading  a 
nomadic  life.  Their  habitation  consists  of  an  almost 
circular  tent,  the  light  timber-work  of  which  is  covered 
with  a  thick  felt :  amongst  the  wealthy,  the  interior 
is-  ornamented  with  silk  drapery,  and  with  arms  of 
rich  and  elaborate  workmanship. 

Their  flocks  are  immense ;  the  wealthiest  among  the 
Kirghises  possessing  10,000  horses,  more  than  20,000 
sheep,  and  a  considerable  number  of  goats  and  camels. 
These  flocks  they  follow  on  horseback  from  pasturage 
to  pasturage.  They  are  as  yet  unacquainted  with  the 
use  of  bread  and  of  money  ;  sheep  may  be  said  to  be 
their  circulating  medium— at  least  it  is  by  the  number 
of  the  latter  that  these  people  express  the  value  of 
objects.  The  sheep  are  of  a  peculiar  breed,  distin- 
guished by  a  fleshy  tail,  weighing  twenty  and  even 
thirty  pounds  :  their  wool,  of  a  reddish  hue,  being  too 
coarse  for  spinning,  is  only  used  in  manufacturing  felt 
coverlets :  to  compensate,  however,  for  this  loss  of  wool, 
a  single  sheep  sometimes  furnishes  five  poods  of  fat. 

For  some  time  past  the  Kirghises  have  shown 
indications  of  commencing  agriculture,  especially  the 
poorer  classes,  who  cultivate,  upon  the  borders  of  the 
lakes  and  rivers,  fields  of  corn,  rye,  barley,  and  espe- 


102 


TRADE    OF    THE    KIRGHISES. 


103 


I  1! 


I( 


|l     ! 


i 


1 


cially  millet.  But  these  rude  essays  have  not  had 
the  effect  of  inducing  them  to  remain  stationary,  as 
they  geuerally  abandon,  after  the  harvest,  the  fields 
they  had  sown  in  the  spring. 

But  however  backward  these  people  appear,  their 
trade  with  China  and  Russia  is  already  considerable. 
From  the  former  they  purchase  tea,  and  from  the 
latter  European  produce. 

The  following  will  show  the  importance  of  its  com- 
mercial relations  with  the  Russian  empire  during  the 
year  1835. 


Exportation  of  Russia. 

Corn  to  the  amount  of  -         -         - 

Leather  ----.. 
Iron  and  copper  -         -         -         . 

Metal  manufactures  -  -  -  . 
Cotton  ditto  -  -  -  -  . 
Silk  and  linen  ditto       -         .         .         . 

Cloths 

Tobacco,  glass,  drugs,  horses,  furs,  &c. 

Total 


Roubles. 
431,537 

6 1 6,523 

29,315 

150,806 

1,797,647 

90,078 

192,462 

843,280 

4,164,648 


Importation  from  the  Steppe. 

Cattle  to  the  value  of  -         -         .    3,078  483 

Raw  hides,  skins,  silk,  stuffs,  wool  and  » 

cotton  from  Boukharia       -         -      (      ^'^-^'"^ 


,258 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 


FAIR    OF    NIJNY-NOVGOROD, 


ON  THE  15th  August,  1836. 


Total 


4,905,731 


Of  all  the  large  markets  which  may  be  considered  as 
forminff  the  chief  centres  of  that  commercial  move- 
ment  that  connects  together  the  different  nations  of  the 
globe,  none  perhaps  is  more  important,  none  presents 
a  picture   more  interesting,    rich,    and    varied,  than 
that  of  Nijny  Novgorod  at  the  time  of  its  fair.     It  is 
there  that  the  colonies  beyond  sea  annually  exchange 
their  produce  with  Central  Asia.     Long  caravans  of 
camels,  laden   with  the  commodities  of  the   Tartar 
Steppes,  arrive  from  the  foot  of  the  Oural  Mountains, 
and  from  Mount  Taurus:  the  produce  of  China  is 
transported  thither  by  the  way  of  Kiakhta:  vessels 
sailing  up  the  Volga  and  the  Oka  come  freighted  with 
merchandise  of  Persia,  and  the  harvests  of  the  shores 


1 


li 


104 


TRADE    OF    NIJNY    NOVGOllOO. 


TRADE    OF    NIJNY    NOVGOROD, 


105 


.1 


1  \ 

I' 


. 


of  the  Caspian  Sea.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Russian 
manufactories  send  immense  quantities  of  stuffs  of  all 
kinds,  and  vast  warehouses  are  filled  with  sugars  and 
coffees,  which  are  brought  by  the  way  of  Petersburgh 
and  Moscow  from  the  Trans-Oceanic  Isles.  The  no- 
bility of  the  neighbouring  provinces,  a  great  number 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Moscow,  and  many  foreigners, 
visit  Nijny  Novgorod  at  this  season,  attracted  by 
curiosity,  to  view  a  scene  which,  for  the  activity, 
novelty,  variety,  and  singularity  it  exhibits,  is,  perhaps, 
unequalled.  The  Kirghises,  and  several  other  nomadic 
tribes  subject  to  Russia,  likewise  bring  their  flocks 
and  pitcli  their  tents  near  this  town,  which  aflTords, 
during  the  continuance  of  the  fair,  all  the  conveni- 
ences  and  luxuries  of  an  European  capital. 

The  trade  of  Nijny  Novgorod  consists  principally  of 
three  branches ;  that  of  Asiatic  goods,  that  of  Russian 
manufactures,  and  that  of  merchandise  imported  from 
the  West  of  Europe,  and  the  European  American 
Colonies. 

The  principal  goods  there  sold  by  Asia  to  Europe 
are  such  as  are  furnished  by  the  Chinese  trade— espe- 
cially  tea,  which  Russian  merchants  procure  at 
Kiakhta,  by  bartering  for  it  furs  and  cloths,  and 
afterwards  transport  to  Nijny  Novgorod.  Of  this 
article  31,000  chests  were  brought  there  this  year, 
and  sold  in  a  very  short  time  at  piices  varying  from' 


\ 


forty-four  to  six  hundred  and  fifty  roubles  the  chest. 
In  addition  to  which,  Kiakhta  had  also  sent  about 
12,000  packages  of  tea,  pressed  into  the  form  of 
cakes,  for  the  use  of  the  Kirghises  and  the  nomadic 
Tartars  inhabiting  the  Steppes.  This  article  had 
always  been  regarded  by  the  Kiakhta  merchants  as 
the  most  profitable  object  of  barter  offered  them  by 
China.  Thus  the  quantity  brought  by  them  this  year 
is  double  that  sold  in  1835.  Up  to  the  15th  August 
the  quantity  sold  amounted  in  value  to  about 
16,000,000  of  roubles. 

The  Boukharians,  and  the  Khiva  merchants  coming- 
in  long  caravans  from  Orenbourg,  Petro,  Pavlovsk, 
and  Troitsk,  have  brought  32,000  poods  of  raw  cotton, 
of  which  one  third  was  immediately  sold.  The  increas- 
ing activity  of  this  commerce  deserves  attention,  as  a 
proof  of  the  progress  of  various  branches  of  Russian  in- 
dustry. The  demands  of  the  cotton-spinning  establish- 
ments in  Russia  become  daily  more  considerable  :  the 
large  manufactories  of  this  description,  provided  with 
machinery  made  in  England,  obtain  the  raw  material 
from  America,  and  the  importation  of  this  article  has, 
within  these  few  years,  doubled  in  our  Baltic  ports ; 
the  manufactories  upon  a  smaller  scale,  and  the  ma- 
chinery of  which  is  Russian,  exert  a  similar  influence 
upon  our  commerce  with  Central  Asia,  whence  they 
furnish  themselves  with  cotton. 


u 


fl 


! 


U 


:    'I 


-  i    ■ 


II 


■' 


.'    I 


'I 


> 


106 


TRADE    OF    NIJNY    NOVGOROD. 


The  Boukharians  have  also  brought  some  manu- 
factures of  their  own,  viz.  10,000  poods  of  spun 
cotton,  and  110,000  pieces  of  a  coarse  species  of  cotton 
cloth  called  bakhta.  They  have  also  offered  for  sale 
oriental  stuffs  for  robes  de  chambres,  to  the  amount  of 
50,000  roubles  :  but  the  most  valuable  articles  belong- 
ing to  them  are  200  Cachemere  shawls,  of  which  they 
had,  up  to  the  15th  of  August,  sold  as  many  as 
amounted  to  200,000  roubles  in  value. 

Various  descriptions  of  skins  also  form  part  of  their 
goods,  such  as  those  of  the  rein-deer,  fox,  gray  or 
black  lambs.  Some  inhabitants  of  Taschkent  have 
also  offered  for  sale  turquoises  to  the  value  of  120,000 
roubles.  The  total  amount  of  the  goods  brought  to 
this  market  from  Central  Asia  may  be  estimated  at 
3,400,000  roubles  annually. 

Some  of  the  produce  of  these  countries  has  reached 
Nijny  Novgorod  by  an  indirect  route,  that  of  Astra- 
khan ;  the  vessels  coming  from  that  city  being  freighted, 
amongst  other  articles,  with  fox-skins  to  the  value  of 
350,000  roubles,  and  8,000  poods  of  red  cotton  thread 
from  Boukharia.  Astrakhan  has  also  sent  to  Nijny 
Novgorod  6,000  poods  of  rice,  together  with  the  pro- 
duce of  its  fisheries,  380,000  poods  of  dried  fish,  and 
12,000  poods  of  caviar. 

Kisliar,   and  the  provinces  situated  at  the  foot  of 
Mount   Caucasus,  also  forward  their    goods   by   the 


RUSSIAN    MANUFACTURES. 


107 


Volga  to  Nijny  Novgorod.  This  year  they  furnished 
12,000  poods  of  rice,  inferior  to  that  of  Astrakhan, 
140,0000  ankers  of  brandy,  and   120,000  vedros  of 


wme. 


The  Armenians  and  Persians,  inhabiting  the  most 
remote  provinces  of  the  empire,  Tefflis,  and  the  fertile 
plains  on  the  other  side  of  Mount  Caucasus,  have 
likewise  brought  to  this  emporium  goods  amounting 
in  value  to  1,500,000  roubles.  They  consist  of  skins, 
musk,  and  gall-nuts. 

The  most  important  trade  of  Nijny  Novgorod  is 
the  sale  of  Russian  manufactures,  more  especially 
those  of  cotton,  silk,  and  wool,  furnished  chiefly  by 
the  central  provinces  of  the  empire.  Although  the 
manufactories  have,  this  year,  been  more  active  than 
ever,  yet  the  demand  for  their  productions  has  been 
less  at  Nijny  Novgorod  than  in  the  preceding  year. 
The  reason  is,  that  the  retail  dealers  in  the  capitals 
and  in  the  provincial  towns,  and  even  the  hawkers  who 
traverse  the  country,  have  already  laid  in  their  stock 
at  the  different  fairs  of  the  interior. 

To  compensate  for  this,  the  goods  which  have  been 
sent  to  Nijny  Novgorod  for  exportation,  have  been 
very  advantageously  disposed  of.  The  traders  of 
Kiakhta  require  large  quantities  of  cotton  and  skins : 
the  Boukharians  and  the  Khiva  merchants  purchase 
nankeens,   calicoes,  cambrics,  cloth,  and  sugar  :  the 


I 


■■  I 


y 


108 


!||:i' 


iiili: 


ill 


; 


\U 


RUSSIAN    MANUFACTURES. 


Armenians  of  Tefflis,  and  the  Persians,  cotton  and 
woollen  stuffs.  Although  less  considerable  than  the 
former  year,  the  value  of  cotton  stuffs  manufactured 
in  Russia,  and  sold  at  Nijny  Novgorod,  amounts  to 
20,000,000  roubles.  The  silk  manufacturers  have  less 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  state  of  things.  Their 
goods,  which  amounted  in  value  to  10,000,000  roubles, 
have  experienced  a  hea\7  sale.  This,  however,  must 
have  been  anticipated,  owing  to  the  high  prices 
asked,  in  consequence  of  the  conflagration  at  New 
York,  and  the  failure  of  the  harvest  in  the  south  of 
Italy. 

Very  considerable  quantities  of  Russian  and  Polish 
cloths  have  been  sent  to  Nijny  Novgorod  from 
Kiakhta,  the  greatest  part  of  which  was  sold  on  the 
15th  of  August.  The  total  value  of  cloths  sold, 
amounted  to  about  2,000,000  of  roubles. 

As  to  the  flax  manufactures,  which  have  been  sold 
to  the  amount  of  5,000,000  roubles,  they  are  generally 
in  great  request.  Amongst  other  articles,  there  have 
been  sold  for  the  Transcaucasian  provinces  7,000,000 
archines  of  cloth  of  middling  quality,  2,000,000 
archines  of  coarse  cloth,  150,000  archines  of  tche- 
chouika,  a  description  of  cloth  calculated  for  the 
Chinese  market. 

The  produce  of  the  Russian   mines  and  foundries 
forms  also  a  most  interesting  object  of  the  trade  of 


\ 


COUNTRY    PRODUCE. 


109 


Nijny  Novgorod:  1,694,514  poods  of  iron,  worth 
8,500,000  roubles,  were  sold  last  year,  and  bought 
for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  interior ;  as  well 
as  30,000  poods  of  copper :  25,000  poods  of  steel, 
and  a  considerable  quantity  of  articles  manufactured 
from  these  metals.  The  total  value  of  the  above 
articles  amounts  to  12,000,000  roubles. 

The  sugar-bakers  of  St.  Petersburgh  and  Archangel 
have  sent  to  the  fair  75,000  poods  of  sugar,  four 
fifths  of  which  were  immediately  sold  at  prices 
varying  from  46  to  53  roubles  the  pood, — giving  an 
average  value  of  3,500,000  roubles. 

The  potassium,  about  104,302  poods,  was  almost 
wholly  bought  up  for  St.  Petersburgh,  at  the  rate  of 
9  to  10  roubles  the  pood. 

Much  country  produce  has  been  sold  with  good 
profit  for  the  purpose  of  exportation,  as  wax  3,600 
poods ;  3,000  poods  of  ordinary  wool,  fetching  from 
17  to  22  roubles;  2,500  poods  of  fine  cotton,  the 
price  of  which  was  as  high  as  from  50  to  80  roubles 
a  pood;  3,000  poods  of  camel  hair,  at  11  to  12 
roubles  the  pood  ;  12,000  poods  of  hemp,  bought  at  5J 
to  7  roubles ;  tow,  horses'  tails,  feathers  (2,000 
poods,)  hogs'  bristles,  &c.,  making  together  in  value 
1,200,000  roubles ;  to  which  must  be  added  69,050 
bottles,  and  142,020  half  bottles  of  Don  wine,  which 


\ 


/ 


\ 


no 


TRADE    IN    FURS. 


IMPORTS. 


Ill 


I  If! 

I  Til 


I, 


1  t 


» 


were   sold  at  the  opening   of  the   fair,    and   fetched 
252,408  roubles. 

The  tan-yards  have  furnished  11,000  poods  of 
Russian  leather,  valued  at  32  to  43  roubles  the  pood, 
and  other  qualities  of  the  same  article  in  such  a  large 
quantity,  that  the  total  value  of  the  manufacture  ex- 
ceeds 1,200,000  roubles. 

Articles   still  more  precious,    considered   for   ages 
as  the  richest  produce  of  northern  countries,  and  as 
one   of  the   most    important  objects    of  commerce, 
have  found  their  way  to  the  fair  of  Nijny  Novgorod, 
and  have  almost  all  been  sold ;  these  are  the  superb 
furs  of  Siberia,  and  of  the  coast  of  the  White  Sea. 
The  skins  of  the  sable  bear,  foxes  of  different  colours, 
beavers,  martens,  &c.,  coming   from  the  tan-pits  of 
Moscow,  realised  a  sum  of  about  3,000,000  roubles  : 
in  addition  to  which,  Casan  has  furnished  foxes'  and 
wolves'  skins  ;  the  tan-pits  of  Kalouga  foxes'  skins  ; 
those  of  Yaroslaff  hares'  skins;  those  of  Mouraschkin 
lambs'    skins;  Kargapol,  squirrels' skins ;  Astrakhan, 
foxes'  skins  ;  and  Kasmioff,  sheep-skin  pelisses.     The 
total  value  of  these  furs,  &c.,  amounts  to  4,900,000 
roubles,    besides     the    undressed    ones    at    present 
warehoused,  the  value  of  which  is  about  3,550,000 
roubles. 

Russia  has  also  manufactured  china  and  earthen- 
ware to  the  amount  of   350,000  roubles ;  mirrors  and 


glass  of  all  descriptions  to  800,000  roubles,  and  soap 
to  750,000  roubles. 

The  third  branch  of  the  commerce  of  Nijny  Nov- 
gorod— that  of  the  produce  of  Western  Europe  and  its 
colonies — is  deserving  of  notice,  although  the  total 
value  of  the  goods  imported  from  these  countries 
scarcely  equals  one  tenth  part  of  that  of  all  the  mer- 
chandise sold  at  the  fair. 

Amongst  the  articles  furnished  from  abroad, 
those  comprised  under  the  general  name  of  drugs 
claim  the  first  place;  the  value  of  these  imported 
this  year  is  4,900,000  roubles,  and  those  required  by 
our  manufactories  for  the  dying  of  stuffs  are  most 
in  request ;  7,500  poods  of  indigo,  for  instance,  value 
2,305,000  roubles,  have  been  sold  in  a  short  time  at 
340,  320,  and  360  roubles  a  pood,  according  to  the 
quality ;  the  same  has  been  the  case  with  1 ,800  poods 
cochineal,  which  fetched  375  roubles  per  pood ;  8,000 
poods  of  madder,  &c. 

Foreign  wines,  the  total  value  of  which  is  2,000,000 
roubles,  are  likewise  an  important  article.  The  West 
Indies  have  sent  to  the  Russian  markets  400  casks  of 
coffee,  value  500,000  roubles,  and  500  hogsheads  of 
rum,  value  200,000  roubles.  Coral  to  the  amount  of 
600,000  roubles  has  been  bought  by  the  Kiakhta 
merchants  for  the  Chinese  market. 

The  sale  even  of  foreign  manufactures  has  also  been 


■imnirvfii 


1HliP»1BWp<yww^7'''  — ' " 


illl' 


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112 


FOREIGN    MANUFACTURES. 


considerable.  The  Kiakhta  merchants  have  laid  out 
no  less  a  sum  than  1,500,000  roubles  in  the  pur- 
chase of  woollen  stuffs  for  the  Chinese  market ;  the 
value  of  cottons,  silks,  &c.,  imported  from  abroad, 
and  housed  in  the  magazine,  amounts  to  2,900,000 
roubles. 

The  following  table  shows  the  goods  put  up  for 
sale  during  seven  successive  years,  that  is,  from  1829 
to  1825  inclusive,  together  with  the  goods  actually 
sold. 


113 


o 

O 

O 

O 

O 

o 

O 

o 

00 

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o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

• 

o 

o 

o 

00 

o 

to 

CO 

CO 

GO 
00 

UO 

o 

CO 

tH 

tH 

'O 
CO 

CO 

to 

tH 

l> 

tH 
tH 

• 

o 

00 

o 

'O 

K 

8 

1 

o 

o 
o 

'(0 

CO 
00 

to 

CO 

o 

5" 

to 

tH 

CO 

tH 

CO 

tH 

vo 

^ 

-* 

i<0 

»H 
tH 

v>4 

to 

o 

tH 

l-H 

^ 

o 

iH 

tH 

tH 

o» 

<N 

o 

^ 

Q 

o 

tH 

<o 

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o 

»<0 

'O 

o 

© 

o 

«^ 

t>. 

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o 

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^. 

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»H 

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tH 

■^ 

tH 

vH 

tH 

tH 

OS 

©» 

^ 

'O 

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^ 

00 

00 

52 

Oi 

o 

0* 

tH 

^ 

tH 

lH 

• 

04 

00 

00 

o 

a> 

o 

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«^ 

CO 

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00 

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m 

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CO 

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t^ 

00 

oc 

to 

o 

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tH 

CO 

tH 

T^ 

tH 

lH 

o 

»o 

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o 

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o 

o 

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^, 

<J* 

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*o 

o 

o 

o 

(N 

% 

00 

03 

to 

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CO 

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j-j-i 

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00 

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t* 

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22 

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00 

K 

« 

o> 

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00 

00 

o 

«o 

Oi 

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CO 

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^ 

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00 

<N 

CO 

CO 

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CO 

tH 

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^ 

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TH 

o 

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co~ 

o 

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•H 

tH 

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tH 

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ts 

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. 

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114 


HERRING  FISHERY  IN  THE  BLACK  SEA. 


115 


EXPEDITION  FOR 


METALLURGICAL    RESEARCHES 


IN  THE  OURAL  MOUNTAINS. 


in 


The  herring  fisliery  in  the  Black  Sea,  which  is  most 
active  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Kertch,  began  last  year 
towards  the  close  of  the  month  of  November,  and 
promised  to  be  very  abundant.  Many  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Kertch,  knowing  by  experience  the 
advantage  of  the  Dutch  method  of  salting,  united 
in  order  to  make  an  attempt  at  their  common 
expense.  The  direction  of  this  undertaking  was  con- 
fided to  M.  Pomerantzoff.  Unfortunately  the  frosts 
set  in  soon  after,  and  put  a  premature  stop  to  the 
fishing;  the  experiment  has  not  been  so  important 
as  was  requisite.  As  an  attempt,  however,  it  has 
completely  succeeded  :  5,000  herrings  have  been  salted 
and  sold  by  the  company  ;  they  were  found  to  be  far 
superior  to  all  that  had  been  salted  previously,  and 
were  sold  at  the  rate  of  100  roubles  a  thousand. 


The  Oural  and  Altai  mines,  so  rich  in  the  precious 
metals,  possess  also  a  great  interest  for  science.  The 
geologist  observes,  at  every  step  he  takes,  new  combi- 
nations in  the  primitive  rocks,  as  well  as  in  those  of 
secondary  formation  :  he  there  sees  many  phenomena 
of  which  the  European  mountains  present  no  example, 
and  which  often  discover  some  law  of  nature  hitherto 
unknown.  The  rocks  are  the  more  deserving  of  the 
attention  of  the  man  of  science  and  the  miner,  inas- 
much as  they  cover  an  immense  tract  of  country; 
America  herself  scarcely  offering  to  the  researches  of 
the  naturalist  chains  of  mountains  upon  so  vast  a  scale, 
containing  so  much  of  the  precious  metals.  In  fact,  the 
Oural  and  the  Altai  are  but  two  different  branches 
of  one  and  the  same  chain,  which,  often  taking  other 
names  and   directions,    separates    Siberia   both  from 

I  2 


1 


-<_i — 


I II  il  t 


•tj       ' 


11(5 


THE    OIJUAL    AND 


V 


Wl'  i 


!  il!  s 


' 


t    > 


Europe  and  Central  Asia.  The  Oural,  whose  most 
remote  branches  towards  the  north  are  waslied  by  the 
waves  of  the  Icy  Sea,  forms  a  natural  barrier  between 
Asia  and  Europe,  from  those  high  latitudes  as  far  as 
the  steppes  inhabited  by  the  nomadic  tribes  of  inde- 
pendent  Tartars.  After  having  traversed  from  north 
to  south  the  governments  of  Persia  and  Orenbourg, 
and  overpassed  the  frontiers  of  Russia,  this  chain 
forms  an  angle,  taking  in  the  Tartar  steppes  a  direc- 
tion from  west  to  east ;  further  on,  it  again  turns  back 
towards  the  Russian  territory  :  it  there  appears  under 
the  name  of  Altai,  its  direction  being  from  south-west 
to  north-east,  and  extending  across  the  districts  of 
Kolyvan,  Nerlchuisk,  &c.,  as  far  as  the  borders  of  the 
sea  which  separates  Asia  from  America. 

It  is  in  that  part  of  these  mountains  which  faces 
Siberia,  in  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Oural  and  the 
northern  one  of  Altai,  witli  its  secondary  branches, 
that  are  found  the  veins  of  precious  metal.  It  is  there 
that,  in  tlie  schistous  mountains,  heaped  upon  the 
primitive  rocks,  are  discovered  those  layers,  more  or 
less  extensive,  of  gold  or  platina  ore,  so  celebrated  for 
their  great  value.  Every  year  immense  treasures  are 
procured  from  them  ;  and  yet  it  is  probable  that  all 
the  riches  of  these  mountains  are  as  yet  unknown. 
The  field  opened  for  these  researches  is  so  vast,  that 
years  of  methodical  and  persevering  examination  have 


ALTAI    MOUNTAINS. 


117 


not  yet  been  sufficient  to  explore  all  the  valleys  and 
summits,  a  vast  extent  not  having  yet  been  visited  by 
the  officers  of  the  Mining  Board. 

The  examination  of  these  parts,  as  yet  almost  un- 
known, is  pursued  with  the  greatest  regularity.     The 
two  chains,  the  Oural  and  the  Altai,  are  divided  into 
several  mining  districts :  in  each  of  them  the  officers, 
to   whom    is   confided    the   direction  of    the   works, 
send  out,   every  summer,  detachments  of  discovery, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  examine,  in  detail,  the  mountains 
assigned  to  them, — the  point  at  which  the  expedition 
stopped  the  preceding  year  being  generally  that  of 
departure  for  the  new  one.     In  the  course  of  the  last 
vear  two  new  detachments  have  been  sent  off',  one  of 
wliich  was  ordered  to  traverse  the  space  between  the 
Aspia  and  Lopsinia  rivers,  upon  the  eastern  slope  of 
the  Oural,  wliilst  the  other  was  to  complete  the  in- 
vestigation of  the  territory  included  between  the  lodel 
and  Lozva,  situated  upon  the  same  side  of  the  summit. 
The    first  of  these    expeditions   remarked,   in   the 
course  of  its  investigations,  several  phenomena  highly 
important  in  a  theoretical  point  of  view ;  new  combi- 
nations of  porphyry,  or  rather  species  of  rock  belong- 
ing to  this  primitive  formation — such  as  the  diorytics, 
the  spillite,  and  the  trap.     In  other  respects  it  has  not 
been  fortunate   in  its  researches.     After  boring  upon 
the  banks  of  eleven  small  rivulets,  which  descend  from 


^sl. 


.— I-JL L 


mm 


I'd  W , 
f   11 

i!   I 


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118 


BANKS    OF    GOLD    SAND. 


this  part  of  the  Oural  towards  the  plain,  gold  was 
found  in  the  sand  of  five  of  them,  but  in  so  small  a 
proportion  that  the  working  would  not  be  attended 
with  any  profit.  A  mine  of  native  copper,  discovered 
in  1832  upon  the  left  bank  of  the  little  river  Mania, 
was  also  considered  as  too  inconsiderable  to  be 
worked. 

The  second  expedition  has  had  better  success. 
Having  commenced  its  operations  upon  the  banks  of 
the  rivulet  Ouspensk,  their  efforts,  after  several  dis- 
appointments, were  at  length  rewarded  by  the  dis- 
covery of  two  tolerably  rich  layers  of  gold  sand. 

The  one  is  upon  the  Ouspensk,  two  archines  from 
the  surface  of  the  soil;  it  extends  about  100  sagenes, 
its  breadth  being  8  sagenes,  and  thickness  Ij  archine. 
The  sands  are  not  equally  rich  throughout  the  whole 
extent.  Some  have  been  found  containing  only  ^ 
zolotnik  of  metal  for  every  100  poods,  whilst  others 
contain  8^  zolotniks.  The  average  is  about  3^  zolot- 
niks  of  gold  for  every  100  poods.  The  cubic  sagene 
of  sand  weighs  about  1,200  poods,  and  the  layer  being 
about  466  sagenes  18  archines  (cubic  measure),  its 
produce  of  gold  would  be  probably  3  poods  14  livres 
86  zolotniks. 

The  other  bank  of  gold  sand,  found  at  between  three 
and  four  versts  from  the  first,  upon  the  Kamenka, 
is  only  4  sagenes  in  width,  and  200  in  length,  and  its 


BANKS    OF    GOLD    SAND. 


119 


thickness  is  1^  archine.  The  gold  it  contains  varies 
from  ^  of  zolotnik  to  815  zolotniks  for  100  poods  of 
sand,  the  average  being  3|i  zolotniks.  The  layer 
being  490  cubic  sagenes,  it  may  be  expected  to  yield 
4  poods  12  livres  18  zolotniks. 


K 


iw^^  —..  -i>^-> -irf-^i^i^imi 


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; 


-: 


1 


120 


PRECIOUS  STONES  FOUND  IN  THE  OURAL 

MOUNTAINS. 


Since  the  discovery  of  rich  mines  of  the  precious 
metals  in  the  Oural  mountains,  the  government  has 
adopted  every  means  in  its  power  to  facilitate  the 
working  of  them,  to  regulate  the  works  proposed  to 
be  executed,  and  to  acquire  a  more  extensive  and 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  treasures  they  contain. 
Learned  and  scientific  individuals  have  been  employed 
in  these  researches,  and  the  results,  important  as  they 
are  for  trade,  have  not  proved  less  so  for  science. 

It  is  thus  that  the  precious  stones  hidden  in  the 
cavities  of  the  rocks  in  the  vicinity  of  Mourzenka, 
have  become  the  object  of  scientific  examination,  after 
originating  a  new  branch  of  industry. 

The  town  of  Mourzenka  is  situated  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Catherinebourg,  at  the  foot  of  the  Oural. 
Tlie  rocks  of  the  environs  are  composed  of  the  same 
granite  which,  upon  the  declivity  opposite  the  Oural 
on  the  eastern  side,  contains  mines  of  gold  and  platina, 


PRECIOUS    STONES. 


121 


SO  important  on  account  of  their  rich  produce.  The 
thickness  of  this  mass  of  primitive  rock  is  from  10  to  20 
versts :  its  direction  is  north  and  south,  and  precious 
stones  are  there  found  scattered  over  a  space  of  about 
100  square  versts,  watered  by  three  rivers,  the  Newa, 
the  Alabaschka,  and  the  Ambarka.  In  that  variety 
of  granite  known  to  geologists  by  the  name  of  Peg- 
matite, are  here  found  the  topaz,  shorl,  aqua  marina, 
rock  crystal,  and  amethyst. 

Another  circumstance  equally  worthy  of  remark  is, 
that  the  fields  in  the  environs  of  Mourzenka  are  co- 
vered with  large  blocks  of  granite,  which  a  violent 
convulsion  of  some  unknown  period  has  torn  away 
from  the  summit  of  the  mountains  and  hurled  into  the 
plain  below :  these  fragments  likewise  contain  precious 
stones.  Sometimes,  also,  on  the  borders  of  the  rivulets 
have  been  found  topazes  and  amethysts,  scarcely  con- 
cealed by  the  mud  and  clay  of  their  banks. 

It  was  at  the  commencement  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury that  the  government,  in  the  hope  of  finding 
marble  and  jasper  for  the  embellishment  of  the  new 
capital  of  the  empire,  ordered  the  Oural  to  be  exa- 
mined by  competent  persons.  These  agents  found, 
in  the  vicinity  of  Mourzenka,  a  few  crystals  and 
transparent  stones :  this  discovery  did  not  excite  all 
the  interest  which  it  merited.  At  length,  in  1765, 
the  Empress  Catherine  despatched  some  Italian  lapi- 


122 


SUPERB    CRYSTAL. 


123 


daries,  whom  she  had  engaged  in  her  service,  to 
Catherineboiirg  and  Mourzenka ;  and  from  that  time 
stones  of  great  value  have  constantly  been  found 
there. 

In  1828  was  found,  near  Mourzenka,  in  the  mine 
called  Aarjeosk,  a  superb  crystal,  weighing  6  pounds 
1 1  zolotniks,  being  about  5|  verschoks,  or  8  J  English 
inches  in  length,  and  6^  or  10  English  inches  in 
circumference.  This  beautiful  specimen  is  preserved 
in  the  mineralogical  collection  of  the  Board  of  Mines. 


THE  CHASE  IN  THE  RUSSO  NORTH- 
AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


Remote  and  hazardous  expeditions  always  possess  a 
character  of  adventure  and  romance,  which  strikes  tlie 
imagination  while  it  interests  the  feelings.  The 
privations  to  which  those  intrepid  navigators  expose 
themselves,  who,  in  order  to  widen  the  domain  of 
science,  endeavour  to  discover  a  passage  through  the 
ice  of  the  Polar  Seas,  and  the  dangers  by  which  we 
see  them  continually  beset,  powerfully  command  our 
sympathy.  Nor  can  we  view  with  indifference  either 
those  hardy  whalers  who  annually  revisit  the  stormy 
seas  in  which  they  have  so  often  braved  the  severities 
of  a  rigorous  climate  and  the  perils  of  a  difficult 
navigation,  or  the  courageous  perseverance  of  those 
mariners  who  seek,  in  remote  and  almost  unknown 
shores,  new  markets  for  the  produce  of  their  country. 
If  such  enterprises,  even  when  isolated,  command 
the  attention  we  bestow  on  them,  how  much  more  is  our 
interest  excited  by  an  association  formed  for  the  purpose 


';i 


124 


RUSSIAN    AMERICA. 


TRADE    WITH    THE    HUNTERS. 


125 


of  pursuing,  systematically  and  upon  a  vaster  scale,  all 
these  various  branches  of  activity.  Such  is  the  Ame- 
rican Company,  which  was  at  first  established  with  the 
view  of  extending  the  beaver  hunt  in  the  Russian  colo- 
nies, and  of  enlarging  the  fur  trade,  so  important  in  the 
relations  of  Russia  with  China.  Since  the  origin  of  this 
company,  we  have  seen  its  agents  living  upon  the 
shores  of  Russian  America,  amidst  all  the  privations 
imposed  upon  them  by  the  nature  of  the  country, 
occupied  with  useful  enterprises,  scientific  researches, 
and  with  the  care  of  making,  as  far  as  possible,  the 
aborigines  of  these  sterile  regions  participate  in  the 
benefits  of  civilisation. 

The  otter  chase  still  constitutes  their  chief  occupa- 
tion. In  former  times  the  inhabitants  of  the  Aleontian 
Isles  paid  a  tribute  of  furs,  but  since  the  establishment 
of  the  company  they  have  been  exonerated  from  this, 
personal  service  being  substituted  instead  of  it :  every 
native  of  these  isles,  or  of  that  of  Kodiak,  is  obliged  to 
place  himself  for  three  years  at  the  disposition  of  the 
company,  which  may  employ  him,  as  it  pleases,  either 
in  hunting,  fishing,  or  agriculture. 

In  the  month  of  December  every  year,  the  company 
announces  the  number  of  men  and  small  boats  it  will 
require  for  beaver  hunting.  The  hunters  are  then 
chosen,  the  preference  being  given  to  families  having 
the  greatest  number  of  sous ;  these  the  company  fur- 


nishes with  arms,  powder,  lead,  dried  fish,  tobacco, 
and  the  utensils  necessary  for  repairing  the  boats.  Im- 
mediately upon  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  the  bdidaies 
(small  vessels)  quit  the  creeks  in  which  they  had  been 
laid  up  during  the  winter,  and  repair  to  the  place  of 
rendezvous;  the  diflferent  expeditions  afterwards  set 
off*  for  the  points  assigned  them,  each  under  the  direc- 
tion of  an  ancient,  chosen  by  his  companions.  Kodiak 
generally  furnishes  one  hundred  and  fifty  boats,  Ouna- 
lachka  one  hundred,  Atkha  fifty,  the  other  islands  a 
less  number. 

Upon  their  return,  in  the  month  of  August  or  Sep- 
tember, these  different  detachments  deposit  the  produce 
of  their  chase  in  the  stores  of  the  company,  which 
pays  them  according  to  a  stipulated  tariff",  giving  at 
the  rate  of  thirty  roubles  for  a  beaver  skin  of  the  first 
quality,  deducting,  however,  from  this  price  the  value 
of  the  ammunition  and  provisions  previously  furnished 

to  the  hunter. 

The  otter  is  not  the  only  game  hunted  during  the 
summer ;  other  vessels  are  employed  in  pursuing  the 
aquatic  birds,  which  alight  in  such  numerous  flocks 
on  the  coasts  of  the  peninsula  of  Alackha.  Their  skins 
are  bought  by  the  company ;  their  flesh,  being  dried, 
serves  as  food  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  country.  The 
pursuit  of  the  sea-calves  is  more  dangerous.  The 
Aleontians  engaged  in  this  diflScult  chase  endeavour. 


126 


WHALERS. 


at  first,  to  cut  off  tlie  retreat  of  these  formidable  ani- 
mals, which  lie  basking  themselves  in  the  sun  upon 
the  sea-shore ;  they  then  attack  and  kill  them  with 
their  hunting  spears.  The  teeth  are  the  only  valu- 
able part  of  the  animal,  and  in  successful  seasons  the 
chase  is  so  productive  as  to  furnish  as  many  as  five 
thousand. 

Several  whalers  fitted  out  at  the  company's  expense 
likewise  cruise  annually  in  these  seas.  The  Aleon- 
tians  strike  the  whale  with  harpoons,  the  barb  of  which 
is  of  jasper :  each  individual  engraves  upon  the  stone 
of  his  harpoon  some  private  mark  by  which  he  may 
recognise  it,  so  that  it  is  always  easy  to  ascertain  the 
party  who  has  dealt  the  mortal  blow  to  the  animal. 
One  half  of  the  whale  belongs  to  the  successful  har- 
pooner,  the  other  one  is  the  property  of  the  company, 
subject  to  their  paying  to  the  rest  of  the  crew  from 
twenty  to  forty  roubles.  Further  facility  has  lately 
been  given  to  this  trade,  by  furnishing  the  whalers 
with  superior  implements.  Vessels  constructed  upon 
the  model  of  those  of  the  English  will  render  the  fishery 
less  dangerous,  and  the  company  has  recently  engaged 
in  its  service  several  experienced  harpooners.  The 
number  of  whales  killed  annually  varies  from  thirty  to 
fifty  ;  but,  owing  to  the  above  intended  improvements, 
it  will  doubtless  become  still  more  considerable. 

During  the  winter   the  colonists  are   engaged  in 


HUNTING    PAIITTES. 


127 


other  labours.  Snares  are  laid  for  the  white  foxes,  and 
dogs  regularly  trained  to  track  the  zizel  (iiius  cytellus) 
in  its  subterranean  abodes. 

The  company^s  vessels  then  trainsport  all  the  furs  so 
collected  during  the  year  to  Okhotsh,  whence  they  are 
sent  overland  to  Kiakhta,  a  town  situated  upon  the 
confines  of  the  Mongol  Steppes,  and  remarkable  for  its 
immense  commerce  with  China. 

Immediately  after  the  establishment  of  the  Russians 
upon  the  western  coast  of  North  America,  the  chase 
proved  equally  easy  and  abundant ;  the  consequence 
is,  that  it  was  prosecuted  to  sucli  a  degree,  that  the 
beaver  and  the  fox  have  now  become  rare.  The 
Imnting  parties  are  at  present  obliged  to  proceed  to 
more  distant  points. 

The  country,  however,  is  so  vast,  the  coast  of  such 
great  extent,  and  the  islands  so  numerous,  that  no 
apprehensions  need  be  entertained  as  to  the  produc- 
tiveness of  the  chase.  Oftentimes  islands,  for  a  long 
time  concealed  by  the  constant  fogs  of  these  climates, 
are  discovered  by  chance,  and  open  a  new  field  to  the 
activity  of  the  company's  agents. 

Thus  the  marines  who  first  landed  on  the  Preby- 
loff*  Isles,  (St.  George  and  St.  Paul,)  to  the  north  of 
Ounalackha,  were  astonished  at  the  number  of  otters 
and  sea-calves  of  different  species  which  they  disco- 


128 


ISLA^^D    ESTABLISHMENTS. 


vered  there.  The  company  having  formed  some  per- 
manent estaWishments  in  these  isles,  for  so  long  a  time 
uninhabited, "  have  cultivated  the  potato  and  the 
turnip. 


121) 


TEACHERS'  INSTITUTION  AT  ST. 
PETERSBURGH. 


The  principal  object  of  this  establishment  is  the  rear- 
ing of  teachers  for  the  different  gymnasia  and  lyceums 
throughout  the  empire,  and  the  studies  of  the  pupils 
have  consequently  been  directed  with  this  view. 

Ninety-six  young  persons,  duly  qualified  according 
to  the  regulations  of  the  institution,  were  first  selected 
from  the  public  schools  for  entering  therein,  and  five 
ordinary,  three  extraordinary  professors,  and  five 
assistants,  commenced  their  labours  with  a  preparatory 
course.  In  this  class  of  the  Institution,  which  is  not 
divided  into  different  faculties,  the  studies  embrace 
logic,  metaphysics,  mathematics,  mythology,  the  Latin, 
Greek,  German,  and  French  languages,  together  with 
rhetoric  and  Russian  literature  ;  architecture  and 
drawing  are  likewise  taught,  to  which  have  recently 


VOL.    II. 


K 


130 


TEACHERS     INSTITUTION. 


been  added  dancing  and  fencing.  Every  pupil  par- 
ticipates in  all  the  lessons,  and  this  preparatory  course 
is  terminated  in  two  years. 

The  first  examination,  in  which  the  pupils  were  to 
exhibit  the  progress  they  had  made,  began  on  the  15th 
September,   1831,  continued  till  the  12th  November, 
and  publicly  terminated,  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous 
audience,  on  the  11th  December.     The  results  of  this 
examination  were  as  satisfactory  as  could   be  desired  ; 
seventy-eight  of  these  young  persons  were  considered 
worthy  of  entering  as  students  the  upper  class  of  the 
institution,  which  was  then  formed  and  divided  into 
three  faculties.     Under  the  superintendence  of  twelve 
ordinary  and  five  extraordinary  professors,  assisted  by 
masters  in  drawing,  fencing,  and  other  arts,  the  students 
are  at  liberty  to  enter  any  one  of  the  three  faculties,  and 
to  devote  themselves  to  the  study  either  of  philosophy 
and  jurisprudence,  the  exact  sciences,  or  lastly  of  phi- 
lology and    history.      This  course  lasts  three  years, 
after  which  time  they  must  exercise  themselves  in  the 
practice  of  instruction. 

The  collections  belonging  to  the  institution,  which 
are  every  day  receiving  fresh  additions,  are  already 
considerable  ;  the  library  at  present  consists  of 
7,000  volumes  ;  the  philosophical  apparatus  are 
sixty-eight  in  number,  the  mineralogical  cabinet  rec- 
kons 4,233  objects  ;  their  plants  amount  to  9,399,  not 


EXAMINATION    OF    STUDENTS. 


131 


including  those  indigenous   to   St.  Petersburgh.     A 
zoological  collection  is  also  in  progress. 

The  first  examination  of  the  students  of  the  upper 
class,  which  took  place  in  the  month  of  December, 
1835,  has  proved  how  successful  have  been  the  labours 
of  the  institution, — thus  aflTording  a  reasonable  hope 
that  its  activity  will  be  incalculably  useful  for  the 
public  instruction. 


K  2 


132 


INCREASE  OF  THE  POPULATION  IN 

RUSSIA. 


It  has  been  remarked  that  a  population  equally  un- 
acquainted with  every  branch  of  national  industry  and 
commerce,  and  whose  means  of  existence  are  conse- 
quently limited,  not  only  increases  slowly,  but  often- 
times remains  stationary.  If  at  a  later  period  this 
ignorance  be  replaced  by  knowledge  and  a  spirit  of 
enterprise,  the  onward  march  of  the  community,  as  to 
numbers,  is  rapid,  and  evident  to  observation.  Such 
has  been  precisely  the  case  with  Russia. 

From  the  time  of  Peter  the  Great,  and  more  espe- 
cially under  the  reign  of  Catherine  II.,  up  to  the  close 
of  the  last  century,  when  the  institutions  founded  by 
the  creative  hand  of  that  monarch  began  to  put  forth 
their  fruit,  the  progress  exceeded  every  hope.  Since 
the  commencement  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the 
population  of  those    professing   the   Greek    religion, 


INCREASE    OF    POPULATION. 


133 


during  a  period  of  thirty  years— that  is,  from  1804  to 
1834— it  would  appear  that,  due  allowances  being  made 
for  the  adventitious  influence  of  war,  bad  harvests,  &c., 
this  increase  continues  to  become  a  little  less  rapid. 

At  least  we  learn  from  these  tables,  that  during  the 
first  ten  years  of  this  period,  from  1804  to  1814,  the 
number  of  children  born  in  Russia  amounted  to 
13,148,000,  that  of  persons  deceased  to  9,064,400; 
during  the  ten  succeeding  years,  from  1814  to  1824, 
the  number  of  births  was  14,798,000,  deaths  8,994,000 ; 
and  lastly,  during  the  ten  years  elapsed  from  that 
time  to  1834,  17,848,000  were  born,  and  12,501,000 
died. 

During  the  first  of  these  decennial  periods,  therefore, 
the  population  increased  4,086,000  souls ;  during  the 
second,  5,804,000;  and  during  the  last,  5,347,000. 
It  will  also  be  seen  that  the  number  of  births,  although 
it  has  become  greater  per  se  towards  the  end  of  the 
period  so  indicated,  is.^  however,  less  considerable  when 
compared  with  the  population  already  existing,  and 
with  the  number  of  deaths. 

Whilst,  in  any  given  year  of  the  last  century,  the 
number  of  births  surpassed  that  of  deaths  in  the  pro- 
portion of  183  to  100, — the  proportion  during  the  first 
of  the  three  decennial  periods  above  has  been  147  to 
100;  during  the  second,  under  the  happy  influence  of 
profound  peace,  164  to  100  ;  and  during  the  third,  of 


' 


I 


134 


INCREASE    OF    POPULATION. 


146  to  100  only.  The  second  decennary,  therefore, 
has  been  more  favourable  to  population  than  the  last ; 
and  we  may  conclude  that  the  first  would  have  pre- 
sented results  still  more  satisfactory,  but  for  the  sacri- 
fices imposed  upon  Russia  by  continual  and  sanguinary 
wars. 

Another  curious  fact  also  merits  attention,  which  is, 
that  the  number  of  children  born  during  these  thirty 
years  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  all  the  existing  popu- 
lation according  to  the  last  census. 

It  would,  on  many  accounts,  be  extremely  interest- 
ing to  compare  the  results  given  by  these  inquiries, 
made  in  Russia,  with  those  obtained  in  other  countries; 
the  more  so,  as  the  theories  of  learned  political  econo- 
mists, relatively  to  the  general  laws  of  the  increase  of 
population,  are  based  upon  observations  made  exclu- 
sively in  countries  which  form  the  centre  of  Europe  ; 
but  the  real  value  of  these  hypotheses  cannot  be 
duly  ascertained,  until  an  examination  be  made  as  to 
the  degree  of  confirmation  or  refutation  they  receive 
from  the  results  of  investigations  made  in  other 
regions. 

All  who  have  written  upon  this  subject  have 
proved  by  extensive  tables,  that  the  number  of  male 
children  which  have  come  into  the  world  exceeds  that 
of  girls.  Another  assertion  of  these  authors  is,  that 
a  greater  mortality  among  boys  under  fourteen  years 


INCREASE    OF    POPULATION. 


135 


of  age  re-establishes  a  certain  equality  between  the 
two  sexes,  which  appears  to  continue  till  the  age  of 
maturity,  but  that  more  women  than  men  arrive  at  an 
advanced  age,  and  that,  in  conseiquence  of  this  compa- 
ratively greater  longevity  in  females,  the  total  number 
of  women  exceeds  that  of  the  men. 

It  appears,  however,  that  the  facts  collected  in 
Russia  confirm  only  one  part  of  this  theory,  so  uni- 
versally adopted.  It  is  true  that,  in  this  eastern  part 
of  Europe,  the  number  of  male  children  is  also  greater 
than  that  of  females.  The  difference  is  even  here 
more  considerable  than  in  any  other  country.  The 
official  lists  prove,  that  among  children  born,  there  are 
one  hundred  and  nine  boys  to  one  hundred  girls, 
whilst,  in  the  rest  of  Europe,  the  number  of  the  first 
exceeds  that  of  the  second  in  the  proportion  of  one 
hundred  and  six  to  one  hundred.  We  are  not  able 
to  ascertain  if  a  greater  mortality  prevails  among  male 
children  under  fourteen  years  of  age,  the  individuals 
being  classed,  in  the  Russian  lists,  according  to  age ; 
however,  it  is  still  true  that,  in  general,  the  number 
of  men  who  die  annually,  regularly  exceeds  that  of 
women,  although  not  in  a  proportion  to  counter- 
balance the  difference  existing  between  the  number  of 
children  of  either  sex,  the  comparative  mortality  being 
in  the  proportion  of  one  hundred  and  five  to  one  hun- 
dred women  only. 


I 


136 


POPULATION  TABLE. 


POPULATION  TABLE. 


137 


J'' 


From  the  above  data,  it  must  be  concluded,  that 
Russia  forms  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  and 
that  in  this  country  (Russia)  men  form  the  greater 
proportion  of  the  population.  We  cannot,  however, 
decide  with  certainty  if  this  be  so  or  not,  it  not  having 
yet  been  possible  to  take  the  census  of  the  female 
population  in  the  southern  provinces  with  all  the 
accuracy  desirable. 

We  think  we  cannot  better  complete  the  above 
general  view  we  have  given  of  the  population  of 
Russia,  than  by  adding  the  following  table  of  each 
government,  with  the  proportion  existing  between  the 
extent  of  the  soil  and  the  population. 


Numbers. 

Inhabitants. 

Sq.  Miles. 

Inhabitants 
for  each 
sq.  mile. 

1  Arcbange 

I 

240,896 

-     15,212 

15 

2  Astrakan 

- 

103,280 

-       4,072 

25 

3  Vilna 

- 

-     1,315,781 

-       1,162 

-    1,132 

4  Vibetsk 

- 

702,266 

778 

.       825 

6  Vladinir 

- 

-     1,127,471 

831 

-    1,356 

6  Vologda 

- 

732,228 

-       6,880 

-       106 

7  Volhynia 

*                  (■ 

-     1,314,117 

-       1,073 

-    1,224 

8  Voroneje 

- 

-     1,492,223 

-       1,354 

.    1,102 

9  Viatka 

- 

-     1,504,097 

-       2,497 

-       626 

10  Grodno 

- 

-        761,880 

570 

-    1,336 

1 1  Catbeiinoslaff      - 

774,768 

-       1,186 

-       653 

12  Casan 

- 

.  -     1 .309,432 

-       1,104 

-    1,186 

13  Kaloiigu 

- 

9 1 7,537 

541 

-    1,691 

14  Kieir 

• 

.     1,459,782 

798 

-    1,829 

Numbers. 

15  Kostroma 

16  Courland 

17  Koursk 

18  Livonia 

19  Muisk 

20  Mohileff    - 

21  Moscow     - 

22  Nijny-Novgorod 

23  Novgorod 

24  Olonetz      - 

25  Orenbourg 

26  Orel 

27  Penza 

28  Perm 

29  Podolia      - 

30  Poltava      - 

31  Pskoff 

32  Riazan 

33  St.  Petersburg]! 

34  Saratoff     - 

35  Simbersk  - 

36  Smolensk  - 

37  Taurida     - 

38  Tambroflf 

39  Iver 

40  Toula 

41  KharkofT   - 

42  Kherson     - 

43  TchernigofT 

44  Ebtbonia 


Inhabitants. 
972,102 

Sq.  iviiles. 

-       1,438 

Inhabitants 
for  each 
sq.  mile. 

-       670 

503,010 

475 

-    1,058 

1,303,022 

794 

2,892 

740,089 

8:^6 

-       895 

955,714 

1,983 

481 

802,108 

824 

973 

1,240,2S3 

550 

-     2,255 

1,076,363 

878 

-     1,225 

735,170 

-       2,070 

355 

236,670 

-       2,354 

104 

1,595,843 

-       6,535 

244 

1,342,912 

755 

-     1,778 

988,179 

674 

-     1,466 

1 ,488,800 

-       2,720 

547 

1,548,155 

576 

-     2,687 

1,621,583 

-       1,062 

-     1,526 

693,727 

-       1,045 

663 

1,211,223 

707 

.     1,713 

509,004 

710 

716 

1 ,543,477 

-       3,473 

444 

1,198,576 

-       1,141 

-     1,050 

1,031,466 

954 

-     1,077 

543,020 

-       2,040 

266 

1,580,259 

-       1,152 

.     1,371 

1,297,942 

-       1,122 

-     1,156 

1,074,687 

529 

-     2,031 

1,171,456 

845 

.     1,386 

607,949 

-       1,099 

.       553 

1,312,592 

898 

-     1,460 

280,612 

315 

890 

138 


POPULATION    TABLE. 


139 


Numbers. 
45  Yaroslaff 

Inhabitants. 
930,180 

Sq.  Miles. 
897 

Inhabitants 
for  each 
sq.  mile. 

-     1,152 

46  Province  of  Belotosk    - 

261,014 

162 

-     1,610 

47  Province  of  Caucasus  ^ 

111,538        -         / 

Province  of  Black  Sea  /' 

208,944 

-       1,803? 

.       132 
-       101 

97,406          -         J 

48  Country  of  the  Cos-    ^ 
sacks  of  the  Don      ^ 

527,472 

-      5,088 

-       103 

49  Bessarabia   -         .         - 

503,666 

794 

-       634 

Total  for  Russia  in  Europe    - 

47,592,427 

-    87.257 

50  Jenessei       -        -        . 

193,486 

-    58,371 

3 

51  Irkoutsh 

505,118 

-     20,121 

25 

52  Tobolsk       .         -        - 

662,650 

-     18,307 

36 

53  Tomsk 

394,136 

- 

- 

54  Province  of  Onisk 

72,545 

802 

90 

Total  for  the  Asiatic  Pro-  ^ 
vinces          -         -    J 

1,827,935 

- 

- 

To  the  above  must  be  added  Georgia,  respecting 
whose  population  we  are  yet  without  authentic  infor- 
mation,—and  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Finland,  which  is 
not  included  in  this  census. 


STATE  AND  PROGRESS 


OF    THE 


TRADE  AND  INTERNAL  COMMERCE 


OF  RUSSIA  IN  1835. 


The  deficient  harvests  of  preceding  years  could  not 
but  have  a  prejudicial  effect  upon  commerce  in 
general.  The  reaction,  however,  was  but  temporary, 
not  even  preventing  Russian  capitalists  from  enlarging 
their  still  existing  commercial  establishments,  or  from 
forming  new  ones.  As  a  proof,  the  number  of  manu- 
facturing concerns  at  present  in  activity  throughout 
the  empire  is  6,045,  381  of  which  are  new  ones.  The 
number  of  workmen  is  279,673,  being  an  increase  of 
5,704,  without  reckoning  those  employed  in  mines, 
furnaces,  forges,  &c. 

Thirty-five  applications  for  patents  for  new  inven- 
tions connected  with  manufactures  have  been  made, 
arid  of  these  eleven  have  been  granted. 


tl 


140 


RUSSIAN    MANUFACTURES. 


ti 


The  greatest  encouragement  has  been  held  out  to 
persons  engaging  in  new  commercial  enterprises.  By 
an  ukase  dated  1827,  such  parties  are  relieved  from 
certain  taxes  imposed  upon  them  as  members  of  one 
of  the  three  city  guilds,  and  in  1835  the  land-tax  and 
municipal  imposts  were  also  remitted  in  their  favour. 

The  schools  intended  for  the  instruction  of  opera- 
tives promise  the  happiest  results.  That  which  is 
called  the  Technological  School,  having  for  its  object 
the  forming  a  body  of  instructors,  reckons  two  hundred 
and  twenty-six  pupils. 

The  financial  agents  of  Russia  residing  at  Paris, 
Vienna,  and  Berlin,  as  well  as  the  consuls  at  the  chief 
commercial  towns  of  Europe,  have,  on  their  part,  greatly 
contributed  to  the  progress  and  improvement  of  the 
national  industry,  by  communicating  to  Russian  manu- 
facturers every  information  respecting  new  inventions 
made  in  foreign  countries,  forwarding  to  them  patterns 
of  new  manufactures,  models  of  machines,  Sec,  and  by 
engaging  for  them  such  workmen  as  they  may  be  in 
need  of. 

The  reports  of  M.  Meyendorff,  and  of  another  gen- 
tleman commissioned  with  him  to  investigate  the 
condition,  progress,  and  future  prospects  of  trade  and 
manufactures  throughout  the  empire,  have  been  highly 
satisfactory. 

The  punctuality  with  which,  in  1835,  the  manufac- 


COMMERCIAL    COMPANIES. 


141 


turers  executed  their  contracts  for  supplying  cloth  for 
the  army  and  navy,  and  the  facility  with  which  similar 
engagements  have  been  entered  into  for  the  year 
1836,  is  another  proof  of  the  prosperous  state  of  Rus- 
sian manufactures.  Exports  of  the  same  article,  to  the 
amount  of  3,181,663  roubles,  have  been  made  to 
Poland. 

Fresh  evidences  of  the  great  improvement  in  the 
internal  trade  are  furnished  by  the  fact,  that  the 
number  of  persons  engaged  in  commercial  affairs  is 
rapidly  increasing,  and  that  every  year  many  acquire 
the  means  of  passing  from  the  inferior  to  the  upper 
guilds.     The  following  table  will  make  this  clear. 


In  1835  the  merchants  of  the  first  guild  were     695 


second 
third 
Peasants  having  permission  to  trade 
Clerks  


1,547 

30,099 

4,992 

7976 


More  tban 
in  1834. 

50 
56 

1,147 

388 
831 


The  state  of  the  different  commercial  and  trading 
companies  is  equally  gratifying,  and,  in  every  part  of 
this  vast  empire,  capitalists  are  employing  their  re- 
sources in  new  and  useful  enterprises.  The  American 
Company,  the  oldest  and  most  important  of  all,  con- 
tinues its  land  and  sea  expeditions  with  great  success, 
while  its  communications  with  the  tribes   inhabiting 


142 


COMMERCIAL    COMPANIES. 


INTEUNAL    COMMUNICATION. 


143 


if 


I 


the  interior  of  North  America  are  daily  becoming 
more  frequent.  The  Russian  colonies  established  upon 
these  uncultivated  shores  have  been  regularly  sup- 
plied with  provisions  and  other  articles  they  stood  in 
need  of,  and  the  chase  has  been  so  successful  in  the 
course  of  the  year,  that  furs  to  the  amount  of  2,150,000 
roubles  have  been  exported,  partly  to  Europe,  and  partly 
to  Kiahkta,  there  to  be  bartered  for  Chinese  produce. 
The  stock  of  the  company  is  now  double  its  original 
value, — a  convincing  proof  of  the  present  profitable 
state  of  its  trade,  and  of  its  flattering  prospects  for 
the  future. 

The  Company  of  Artificial  Mineral  Waters  at  Mos- 
cow has  been  so  prosperous,  that  the  dividend  for 
1835  has  been  200  roubles  on  each  share.  A  similar 
company  formed  at  St.  Petersburgh  having  been  less 
successful,  his  Majesty  the  Emperor  has  been  pleased 
to  afford  it  pecuniary  assistance,  in  order  that  so  use- 
ful an  establishment  might  be  preserved. 

In  consequence  of  the  Steam  Boat  Company  be- 
tween Lubeck  and  St.  Petersburgli  having  launched 
a  third  vessel,  its  privilege  has  been  prolonged  for 
four  years.  Another  association,  formed  in  1835, 
has  established  a  rapid  communication  between  the 
different  Russian  ports  of  the  Baltic.  Two  new 
Marine  Insurance  Companies  have  been  formed  at 
Odessa. 


Seven  other  companies  have  been  established  in  the 
course  of  the  year  ;  three  for  the  spinning  of  cotton, 
at  St.  Petersburgh,  Moscow,  and  Kalonga;  another 
for  the  manufacture  of  plated  goods ;  two  for  the  im- 
provement of  sheep-folds  in  the  southern  provinces, 
and  the  seventh  for  the  manufacture  of  calico  at 
Tsareosk. 

Unremitting  have  been  the  labours  to  complete  in 
all  its  parts  the  system  of  internal  communication. 
The  works  upon  the  river  Seyn  will  be  completed  in 
the  course  of  a  few  years ;  and  this  river,  which  is  now 
navigable  for  an  extent  of  two  hundred  wersts,  will 
then  become  so  from  its  very  source.  Steam-boats 
have  been  established  upon  the  Dnieper  and  the 
Berezina,  for  the  towing  of  laden  barges,  and  for  the 
convenience  of  passengers  and  goods. 

In  consequence  of  the  increased  importance  of  the 
Black  Sea,  the  government  has  taken  every  means  to 
encourage  all  undertakings  connected  with  its  trade. 
Money  has  been  advanced  from  time  to  time,  upon 
due  securities,  to  such  as  applied  for  it.  To  the  town 
of  Ismail,  in  particular,  15,000  roubles  have  been  lent 
for  ten  years  without  interest, — a  favour  which  will 
enable  the  extensive  dockyards  for  the  merchant 
vessels,  there  in  progress,  to  be  quickly  finished. 

Passing  from  commercial  establishments  to  those 
instituted  for  the  instruction  of  youths  destined  to  the 


144 


COMMERCIAL    NAVIGATION. 


145 


I 

I 


service  of  the  public,  we  have  great  pleasure  in  an- 
nouncing that  the  pupils  of  the  School  of  Commer- 
cial Navigation  at  St.  Petersburgh  made,  in  the 
course  of  1831,  as  well  as  in  preceding  years,  an  expe- 
rimental voyage.  After  the  examination  in  the 
month  of  May,  nine  pupils,  six  of  whom  were  educated 
at  the  expense  of  the  government,  were  appointed  as 
pilots  or  pilots'  mates,  and  are  now  employed  in  that 
capacity  in  the  Baltic,  the  Black  and  the  Caspian 
Seas. 


RUSSIAN  IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS  IN 

1836. 


The  total  value  of  imported  goods  is  180,913,929 
roubles  87  copecks.  The  principal  articles  so  ex- 
ported  were  spun  cottons,  to  the  amount  of  48,418,476 
roubles  55  copecks  ;  raw  cottons,  5,262,880  roubles ; 
sugar,  unrefined,  37,343,543  roubles  53  copecks ; 
coffee,  4,316,995  roubles;  silks,  5,420,632  roubles 
40  copecks;  woollen  goods,  6,174,867  roubles  75 
copecks ;  cotton  stuffs,  3,344,433  roubles  75  copecks ; 
hempen  stuffs,  520,083  roubles;  wines,  8,879,765 
roubles  46  copecks  ;  gold  and  silver,  2,948,450  roubles 
46  copecks,  &c. 

The  total  value  of  exported  goods  is  129,601,862 
roubles  88  copecks.  The  principal  articles  were 
tallows  to  the  amount  of  40,732,358  roubles  87 
copecks;  hemp,  19,221,328  roubles  90  copecks;  flax, 
6,291,808    roubles    30    copecks;    copper,   9,364,065 


VOL.    IT. 


146 


IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS. 


147 


roubles  30  copecks;  iron,  6,869,329  roubles  39 
copecks;  cloths,  7,521,786  roubles;  bristles,  5,316,052 
roubles  75  copecks;  raw  hides,  2,618,099  roubles  50 
copecks;  potassium,  2,134,660  roubles  20  copecks. 

In  1835  the  importations  amounted  to  165,686,702 
roubles  96copecks;  ^nAXh^texportations to  107,033,563 
roubles  77  copecks.  Compared  with  this  year,  there 
was  consequently  in  1836  an  increase  of  15,227,226 
roubles  91  copecks  in  the  value  of  the  former,  and  of 
22,568,299  roubles  11  copecks  in  that  of  the  latter. 

Whilst  the  navigation  was  open,  there  arrived  1,105 
vessels,  gauging  altogether  108,613|^  casks  ;  and  there 
departed  1,182,  gauging  116,327^  casks.  Of  the 
former  vessels,  823  were  with  cargoes,  of  which  123 
were  of  coal :  two  vessels  remained  to  winter  at  St. 
Petersburgh. 

The  receipts  of  the  Custom-house  were,  in  1836, 
48,968,790  roubles  74  copecks;  1835,  46,763,444 
roubles  34  copecks ;— increase  in  1836,  2,205,346 
roubles  40  copecks. 


A  CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SYSTEM,  PROGRESS,  AND 

PRESENT  STATE  OF 

PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION  IN  RUSSIA. 

(^Extracted from  the  official  documents  compiled  by  M,  A  KruseH' 
stern^  Chamberlain  of  his  Majesty  the  Emperor.     1   Vol,  %vo, 
tVarsaw,  1837.) 


1(1 


The  majority  of  foreign  authors  who  in  modern 
times  have  written  upon  the  civilisation  of  Russia,  and 
more  particularly  upon  the  actual  state  of  public 
instruction  in  this  empire,  have  necessarily,  from  the 
total  absence  of  all  precise  data  upon  these  subjects, 
fallen  into  grave  and  serious  errors. 

These  desiderata  are,  however,  now  for  the  first 
time  supplied  by  the  work  of  M.  Krusenstern,  which 
contains,  1st,  An  account  of  the  advance  and  progress 
of  public  instruction  in  Russia,  from  the  time  of  Peter 
the  Great  to  the  present  day.  2nd,  A  full  descrip- 
tion of  the  establishments  of  education  now  existing, 

L  2 


148 


ANCIENT    INSTITUTIONS. 


as  well  those  which  are  under  the  superintendence 
of  the  minister  of  public  instruction,  as  the  military 
institutions,  ecclesiastical  schools,  and  those  semina- 
ries in  which  particular  branches  of  education  are 
exclusively  taught.  3rd,  A  general  view  of  private 
instruction. 

So  early  as  the  eleventh  century,  public  schools 
were  founded  at  Novgorod,  Kieff,  and  Smolensko,by 
an  enlightened  monarch,  the  Grand  Duke  Yaroslaff, 
the  legislator  of  his  people,  the  embellisher  of  his 
capital,  and,  like  the  Englisli  Alfred,  the  translator 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  into  his  vernacular  tongue. 

The  invasion  of  the  Tartars  and  various  civil  wars 
rendered  the  first  essay  abortive ;  the  schools  were 
abandoned,  and  for  several  ages  the  monasteries 
alone  aftbrded  the  Russian  youth  a  few  scanty  means 
of  instruction.  At  a  later  period  the  Grand  Dukes 
of  Moscow,  having  by  their  authority  put  a  stop  to 
internal  discord,  the  government  again  endeavoured 
to  introduce  the  elements  of  civilisation,  and  the  first 
printing  establishment  was  opened  at  Moscow  in 
1563.  Many  learned  foreigners  were  invited  to  the 
court,  and  the  Tsar  Boris  Godounoflf  was  only  pre- 
vented from  founding  a  university  and  a  certain 
number  of  public  schools  by  the  troubles  caused  by 
the  appearance  of  the  impostor  Demetrius.  It  is, 
however,  to  the   princes  of  the   illustrious   house   of 


I 


ADVANCE    OF    CIVILISATION. 


149 


Romanoff  that  Russia  is  chiefly  indebted  for  the 
benefits  of  civilisation ;  the  Tsar  Theodore  Alexievitch 
more  particularly  distinguished  himself  in  diffusing 
knowledge  throughout  his  dominions,  and  it  is  to 
him  that  Russia  owes  the  most  ancient  of  her  learned 
institutions,  the  Ecclesiastical  Academy  of  Moscow, 
founded  in  1769. 

At  length  Peter  the  Great  appeared.  This  monarch, 
convinced  that  public  instruction  was  the  most  efli- 
cient  instrument  for  working  out  the  regeneration 
of  his  country,  founded  numerous  scientific  establish- 
ments, and  his  successors,  following  the  route  he 
traced  out  for  them,  have  seen  their  efforts  crowned 
with  success.  We  shall  distinguish  three  separate 
epochs  in  this  advance  of  civilisation,  each  one  being 
remarkable  for  its  own  peculiar  character. 

During  the  first  epocha,  which  ^  comprehends  the 
time  from  tlie  accession  of  Peter  I.  to  that  of  Cathe- 
rine II.,  the  efforts  of  government  were  restricted  to 
organising,  in  the  capital  and  provinces,  new  schools 
ill  proportion  as  they  became  wanted,  without,  how- 
ever, adopting  any  general  plan,  or  even  submitting 
the  direction  of  so  many  establishments  to  the  super- 
intendence of  any  central  authority.  Latin  and 
Greek  schools  were  founded,  in  the  year  1700,  in 
different  towns  of  the  empire ;  shortly  afterwards  a 
naval  school,   and  one  of  engineering,  were  founded 


i 


» 


150 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 


FOUNDATION    OF    UNIVERSITIES. 


151 


1 


1^! 


m 


pi 


at  St.  Petersburgh;  mathematical  and  navigation 
schools  at  Moscow,  and  in  several  chief  towns  of 
provinces ;  ecclesiastical  schools  in  the  bishoprics  ;  and 
lastly,  elementary  schools  throughout  the  country. 
The  good  effects  of  these  establishments  soon  began 
to  appear,— the  opening  of  the  St.  Petersburgh 
Academy  of  Sciences  taking  place  immediately  after 
the  decease  of  Peter  the  Great.  In  1731  the  Empress 
Anne  established  the  first  corps  of  cadets  at  St. 
Petersburgh,  and  the  Empress  Elizabeth  founded 
the  University  of  Moscow,  the  Academy  of  the  Fine 
Arts,  and  a  great  number  of  schools. 

The  second  epocha  commences  with  the  accession 
of  Catherine  II.,  and  ends  with  that  of  the  Emperor 
Alexander.  The  coercive  measures  necessary  during 
the  first  epocha  were  now  useless,— so  much  so,  that 
at  the  commencement  of  Catherine's  reign  a  private 
individual  set  the  patriotic  example  of  contributing 
largely  to  the  support  of  a  public  school.  Under  the 
fostering  care  of  the  Empress  Catherine,  public  in- 
struction received  still  greater  developement ;  and  as 
all  preceding  efforts  had  been  limited  to  the  impart- 
ing a  greater  or  less  degree  of  learning  and  knowledge, 
the  Empress  judged  it  necessary  to  form  establish- 
ments in  which  the  morals  of  the  rising  generation 
might  at  the  same  time  be  attended  to.  With  this  view, 
she   ordered    boarding-schools    for  both   sexes  to  be 


established  in  all  the  different  governments  in  the 
empire.  A  still  more  important  measure,  and  one 
which  greatly  contributed  to  impart  to  this  second 
epocha  its  peculiar  feature,  was  the  organisation  of 
a  central  authority,  entrusted  with  the  care  of  dis- 
seminating education  throughout  the  empire,  and  of 
giving  to  so  many  different  establishments  one 
uniform  tendency  to  a  common  end.  A  special 
commission  having  been  appointed  for  this  purpose, 
all  the  schools,  excepting  only  the  University  of 
Moscow  and  the  ecclesiastical  seminaries,  were  placed 
under  its  direction;  divided  into  upper  and  lower 
schools,  they  were  reorganised  upon  one  general 
plan,  and  subjected  to  uniform  regulations.  The 
Emperor  Alexander  having,  upon  ascending  the 
throne,  declared  it  to  be  his  conviction  that  pub- 
lic instruction  w^as  the  first  element  of  the  pros- 
perity of  states,  substituted  for  the  special  commission 
the  minister  of  public  instruction,  the  powers  of 
which  functionary  were  much  more  extensive.  In- 
creased activity  now  animated  every  branch  of  this 
important  department,  and  the  most  brilliant  results 
rewarded  their  labours.  The  foundation  of  the 
universities  of  Dorpat,  Casan,  Kharkoff,  and  of  the 
Teachers'  Institution  at  St.  Petersburgh,  (which  latter 
has  since  been  converted  into  a  university,)  took 
place  during  the   years    1802—1804;  that  of  Vilna 


1 

1 1 


[liii 


152 


SPECIAL    SCHOOLS. 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 


153 


I'l. 


P 


received  at  tlie  same  time  a  new  organisation ;  and 
these  universities,  entrusted  with  the  care  of  superin- 
tending all  the  establishments  of  instruction  in  the 
districts  of  which  they  were  the  centre,  formed,  as  it 
were,  so  many  nuclei  of  knowledge  and  learning. 
The  government  also  took  upon  itself  the  formation 
of  gymnasia  and  district  and  parochial  schools,  being 
seconded  by  the  generosity  of  individuals  who  vied 
with  each  other  in  forwarding  the  beneficent  views  of 
their  august  sovereign. 

The  third  epocha  commences  with  the  accession  of 
the  reigning  monarch.  His  Majesty's  first  care  was 
the  reorganisation  of  the  system  of  public  instruction, 
with  the  view  of  rendering  it  purely  national.  The 
peculiar  characteristic  of  this  epocha  is  the  establish- 
ment of  a  great  number  of  special  schools,  destined 
to  bring  up  the  pupils  for  some  distinct  pursuit  or 
profession,  by  giving  them  an  education  less  general, 
but  more  solid.  The  number  of  schools  newly  orga- 
nised from  the  year  1826  to  1836,  amounts  to  691. 

I. — MINISTRY    OF    PUBLIC    INSTRUCTION. 

As  at  present  organised,  this  department  compre- 
hends the  following  branches  : 

1.  Education  in  the  public  schools.  2.  Education 
in  private  institutions.  3.  Domestic  education.  4. 
Establishments   destined  for  forming  professors   and 


masters.  5.  The  Academy  of  Science,  the  Russian 
Academy,  the  other  learned  societies,  the  censorship, 
public  libraries,  museums,  and  collections  of  every 
description. 

A  special  commission — having  for  its  president  the 
minister  of  public  instruction,  and  entrusted  with  the 
task  of  examining  the  rules  and  course  of  studies 
adopted  in  all  the  schools  throughout  the  empire, 
and  of  drawing  up  new  statutes  applicable  to  all  the 
regulations  proposed  in  the  report  which  the  said 
board  submitted  for  his  Majesty's  approval — com- 
menced its  duties  in  the  year  1828  throughout  the 
whole  empire,  excepting  only  the  departments  of 
Dorpat  and  Vilna,  which  are  subjected  to  special 
regulations. 

The  former  division  of  schools  into  parochial 
schools,  district  schools,  and  gymnasia,  has  been 
preserved.  The  special  object  of  the  parochial  schools 
is  to  difiuse  elementary  knowledge  among  all  the 
lower  classes  of  the  population,  whilst  the  district 
schools  are  principally  intended  to  afford  the  children 
of  mechanics  and  tradesmen  the  means  of  acquiring 
an  education  fitted  to  their  wants  and  their  condition 
in  society,  and  that  the  pupils  of  the  gymnasia  may 
receive  a  learned  education  calculated  to  qualify  them 
for  continuing  their  studies  at  the  universities.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  schools,  and  of  their  compara- 
tive  state  at  different  periods. 


154 


PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 


Commencing  with  the  universities,  we  find  that  there 
were  at  the  University  of — 


1808, 

1824. 

1835. 

Professors 

and 

Masters. 

Pupils. 

Professors 

and 
Masters. 

Pupils. 

Professors 

and 
Masters. 

Pupils. 

St.  Peters  burgh 

- 

- 

38 

51 

64 

285 

Moscow 

-    49 

135 

59 

820 

120 

419 

Kbarkoff    -     . 

27 

82 

43 

337 

56 

342 

Casan     - 

-     15 

40 

34 

lis 

89 

252 

Dorpat  - 

-    37 

193 

39 

365 

68 

567 

Kieff     -      - 

- 

450 

213 

m 

1,691 

61 

120 

Total 

126 

458 

1,985 

The  Upper  Teachers'  Institution  at  St.  Petersburgh 
is  an  establishment  which  was  founded  in  1829 ;  its 
object  is  the  preparation  of  tutors  for  the  gymnasia 
and  lyceums  of  the  empire  ;  it  is  next  after  the  uni- 
versities. The  number  of  pupils  there  at  present 
is  146. 

In  the  total,  the  number  of  schools  dependent  upon 
the  minister  of  public  instruction,  as  also  that  of  the 
students,  has  increased  in  the  following  proportion  : 
There  were  in 


Schools. 

Students. 

1804     ■ 

499     - 

-     33,481 

1824     ■ 

•     -     1,411     - 

-     69,629 

1835     - 

-     1,681     - 

-     85,707 

The  importance  of  such  an  increase  need  only  to  be 
observed  to  be  appreciated. 


MILITARY    SCHOOLS. 


155 


It  is,  moreover,  the  duty  of  the  minister  of  public 
instruction  to  overlook  education  in  private  and 
boarding  schools,  as  well  as  domestic  education,  no 
person  being  allowed  to  follow  the  profession  of  a 
tutor  without  at  least  having  undergone  an  examina- 
tion at  one  of  the  universities. 

The  annual  budget  of  the  ministry  amounted  to 
7,450,000  roubles. 

II. — MILITARY    SCHOOLS. 

The  numerous  establishments  of  this  class  may  be 
arranged  under  three  heads,  viz.  1.  Schools  placed 
under  the  direction  of  his  Imperial  Highness  the 
Grand  Duke  Michael.  2.  Schools  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Navy  Board.  3.  Military  schools  espe- 
cially reserved  for  soldiers'  children,  and  wliich  are 
under  the  control  of  the  minister  of  war. 

A. — Military  schools  under  the  direction  of  his  Impe- 
rial Highness  the  Grand  Duke  Michael, 

It  was  at  the  recommendation  of  the  celebrated 
Count  Munnich  that  the  Empress  Anne  decreed,  in 
1731,  the  establishment  of  a  military  school  for  200 
cadets  of  noble  family.  This  institution,  the  first  of 
its  kind  in  Russia,  and  which  still  exists  under  the 
name  of  First  Corps  of  Cadets,  afterwards  received 
that  of  the   Academy  of  Chevaliers  :  the   sums   an- 

3  I 


I 


\ 


I 


1      V    1 


V' 


I'i 

1;  I 


I:         \ 


156 


MILITARY    SCHOOLS. 


nually  allowed  for  its  maintenance  amounted  to 
34,000  roubles.  The  Empress  Catherine  increased 
the  number  of  pupils  to  8,000,  having  moreover 
founded,  in  1763,  a  second  corps  of  cadets  for  132 
pupils,  destined  to  serve  in  the  artillery  and  engineer 
departments.  Since  1816  the  number  of  pupils  has 
increased  to  3,515,  and  the  results,  since  the  above 
date,  under  the  reign  of  his  Majesty  the  Emperor 
Nicholas,  have  been  still  more  satisfactory.  Until  his 
Majesty's  accession,  there  were  scarcely  any  military 
schools,  except  in  the  two  capitals ;  subsequently  to 
that  event  several  have  been  organised  in  the  pro- 
vinces, and  all  these  establishments,  subjected  to  uni- 
form regulations,  are  henceforth  arranged  under  three 
heads.  The  schools  which  may  be  called  preparatory, 
such  as  the  sections  for  children  from  seven  to  ten 
years  of  age,  form  the  first ;  the  corps  of  pages,  the 
different  corps  of  cadets  in  the  two  capitals,  &c., 
belong  to  the  second ;  the  third  is  composed  of 
special  schools,  that  is,  of  the  Engineers'  School,  the 
Artillery  School,  and  the  Military  Academy.  In  1836 
the  number  of  pupils  in  the  establishment  under  the 
two  first  heads  amounted  to  5,675,  and  their  annual 
budget  to  3,755,001  roubles:  680  pupils  more  con- 
tinued their  studies  in  the  schools  under  the  third 
head,  and  the  expense  of  their  maintenance,  &c., 
amounted   annually   to  about   500,000  roubles.     By 


MARINE    CADET    CORPS. 


157 


adding  the  2,400  pupils  of  the  six  corps  of  provincial 
cadets,  the  organisation  of  which  is  not  yet  completed, 
and  an  annual  sum  of  2,000,000  roubles  allowed  for 
their  support,  it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  establish- 
ments under  the  control  of  his  Imperial  Highness  the 
Grand  Duke  Michael,  the  number  of  pupils  amounts 
to  8,733,  and  their  annual  budget  to  6,255,000 
roubles. 

JB.   Schools  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Navy 

Board. 

The  Marine  Cadet  Corps,  one  of  the  first  creations 
of  Peter  the  Great,  is  the  most  remarkable  of  the  esta- 
blishments of  this  description.  It  was  first  called  2'he 
Navigation  School;  in  1715  it  was  changed  into  Tlie 
Marine  Academy  ;  in  1752  it  received  its  present  ap- 
pellation, and  in  1826  a  new  organisation.  The  num- 
ber of  cadets  is  fixed  at  600,  and  an  annual  sum  of 
345,000  roubles  was  allowed  for  their  maintenance. 
In  1827  a  new  institution  of  a  superior  order  was 
combined  with  the  Marine  Cadet  Corps.  This  body 
was  composed  of  25  young  ofiicers  who  devoted  them- 
selves for  three  years  to  the  study  of  transcendental 
mathematics,  natural  philosophy,  chemistry,  &c.,  and 
who,  upon  quitting  the  establishment,  obtained  the 
promotion  of  one  grade. 

The  demi'bataillon  of  pilots  atCronstadt  is  intended 


i- 


i. 


!    'f 


I 


I 


\ 


I 


k 


i' 


:\' 


H 


r  r 


:  I 

ii 


I  t 


158 


SCHOOLS    FOR    SOLDIERS      CHILDREN. 


to  furnish  the  fleet  with  skilful  pilots ;  the  number  of 
pupils  is  300.  Similar  battalions  of  instruction  of 
marine  mechanics  have  been  formed  at  St.  Peters- 
burgh,  Cronstadt,  Nicolaieff*,  and  Sebastopol. 

The  establishments  which  we  have  just  enumerated 
reckon  together  2,224  pupils,  and  their  annual  budget 
amounts  to  632,194  roubles. 

C,  Schools  for  the  children  of  soldiers,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Minister  of  War. 

The  first  schools  of  this  kind  were  founded  by  the 
Emperor  Paul,  and  at  the  commencement  of  this  cen- 
tury the  number  of  pupils  was  16,400,  and  their 
annual  budget  520,076  roubles.  In  1826  a  new  or- 
o-anisation  of  this  establishment  took  place,  the  pupils 
being  formed  into  battalions,  demi -battalions,  brigades, 
and  regiments.  The  number  of  pupils  now  amounts  to 
169,024,  and  the  expenses  of  their  maintenance  to 
1,800,000. 

The  number  of  pupils  in  all  the  military  schools  of 
every  class  amounts  to  179,981,  400  of  whom  only 
pay  a  small  annual  sum ;  all  the  others  are  educated 
at  the  sole  expense  of  the  state.  The  annual  budget 
of  these  establishments  forms  a  total  of  8,687,194  rou- 
bles. A  comparison  of  these  accounts  with  those  of 
the  military  schools  in  the  time  of  the  Empress  Anne 
wnll  suffice  to  give  a  correct  idea  of  the  immense  pro- 


ECCLESIASTICAL    SCHOOLS. 


159 


gress  which  Russia  has  made  in  the  short  space  of  one 
century. 

HI. ECCLESIASTICAL    iSCHOOLS. 

The  numerous  establishments  of  this  nature  which  at 
present  exist  in  Russia  are  divided  into  two  heads,  as 
far  as  regards  their  management.  The  first  compre- 
hends the  schools  of  the  Greek  church,  under  the 
control  of  the  holy  synod,  and  directed  by  a  special 
commission ;  the  second,  the  ecclesiastical  schools  be- 
longing to  other  forms  of  worship,  which  schools  are 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  minister  of  the 
interior. 

A.  Ecclesiastical  Schools  of  the  Orthodox  Greek 

Church. 

The  Russian  clergy,  whom  history  represents  as 
being  always  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  nation,  has 
rendered  immense  services  to  the  country,  by  exercis- 
ing at  all  times  a  salutary  influence  over  the  progress 
of  civilisation  ;  the  monasteries  havino-  been  for  a  lono- 
period  of  time  the  only  schools  in  the  country. 

Peter  I.  being  desirous  of  giving  more  uniformity 
and  extent  to  the  means  of  instruction  which  the 
clergy  possessed,  applied  one  twentieth  part  of  the 
revenues  of  monasteries,  and  one  thirtieth  of  those  of 
churches,  to  the  maintenance  of  schools  established  at 


'I  - 


!  \ 


!■ 


1 


160 


ECCLESIASTICAL    SCHOOLS. 


/ 


. 


that  time  in  tlie  houses  of  archbishops  and  bishops,  as 
well  as  in  the  principal  convents.  A  plan  of  studies, 
drawn  up  by  the  Emperor's  command,  has  served  ever 
since  as  a  regular  canon  for  all  these  establishments. 
In  1 764,  the  maintenance  of  the  ecclesiastical  schools, 
the  number  of  which  was  28,  containing  6,000  pupils, 
was  charged  upon  the  budget  of  the  state,  and  an 
annual  sum  of  38,000  roubles  was  appropriated  to 
that  object. 

In  the  course  of  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  reign 
of  Catherine  II.,  the  number  of  pupils  had  gradually 
increased  to  12,000,  and  their  annual  budget,  aug- 
menting in  proportion,  amounted  in  1784  to  77,000 
roubles.  Upon  the  accession  of  Alexander,  these 
establishments  underwent  several  modifications. 

By  virtue  of  the  ordinance  of  1814,  all  these  schools 
are  divided  into  three  departments,  viz.  those  of  St. 
Petersburgh,  Moscow,  and  KiefF.  Each  district  has  a 
superior  school,  called  the  Ecclesiastical  Academy,  and 
having  under  its  superintendence  a  certain  number  of 
middle-schools  or  seminaries,  for  the  most  part  esta- 
blished in  the  chief  provincial  towns,  and  of  inferior 
schools,  divided  into  district  and  parochial  ones.  Ex- 
clusively reserved  for  the  children  of  the  clergy,  these 
establishments  have  the  double  object  of  preparing  for 
the  ecclesiastical  profession  those  of  the  pupils  who 
aspire  to  fulfil  one  day  its  venerable  functions,  and  of 


ECCLESIASTICAL   SCHOOLS. 


161 


giving  a  suitable  education  to  those  among  them  who, 
on  the  contrary,  prefer  the  civil  service,  or  the  course 
of  university  studies.  The  pupils  pass  from  the  paro- 
chial schools  into  those  of  the  district,  and  afterwards 
into  the  seminaries :  the  course  of  studies  in  these  latter 
lasts  for  six  years,  of  which  two  are  devoted  to  litera- 
ture ;  two  to  natural  philosophy,  including  the  mathe- 
matics ;  and  lastly,  two  to  theology  and  church  history. 

The  ecclesiastical  academies,  which  at  present  rec- 
kon 317  pupils,  are  simultaneously  schools  and  scien- 
tific bodies,  they  being  intended  to  form  young  persons 
for  the  superior  oflfices  of  the  church,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  extend  the  limits  of  theological  knowledge  by 
continued  researches. 

The  following  tables  will  show  the  comparative  state 
of  these  establishments  at  different  periods. 


In  1808. 

1824. 

1836. 

Schools 

83 

344 

384 

Masters 

-       444 

1,022 

— 

Pupils     - 

30,167 

45,831 

58,586 

The  sums  allowed  for  their  support  amount  at  pre- 
sent to  about  2,500,000  roubles. 

B,  Ecclesiastical  Schools  belonging  to  other  kinds  of 

Worship, 

According  to  the  report  of  the  minister  of  the  inte- 
rior, their  actual  state  is  as  follows  : — 

VOL.  II.  M 


162 


MINING    SCHOOLS. 


MINING    SCHOOLS. 


163 


» 


li 


i! 


a.  Schools  of  the  pure  Greek  Church,  23  with  1,274  pupils 

h.  Schools  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,     273  with  7,073  pupils 

c.  Schools  of  the  Catholic- Armenian  Church,     5  with       137  pupils 

d.  Schools  of  the  Armenian-Gregorian  Church,  14  with      319  pupils 

347  8,803 

The  ecclesiastical  academy  of  Vilna,  which  reckons 
90  pupils,  is  included  in  the  item  of  Roman  Catholic 
schools,  of  all  which  the  annual  expense  of  maintenance 
amounts  to  500,000  roubles. 

Altogether  the  ecclesiastical  schools,  as  well  those  of 
the  orthodox  Greek  churcli  as  of  others,  present  a  total 
of  701  establishments— 67,024  pupils,  of  whom  41,586 
pay  their  own  expenses;  10,517  receive  pecuniary 
assistance  from  government,  while  15,408  are  educated 
wholly  at  the  expense  of  the  state. 

IV.  —  SPECIAL    AND    OTHER    SCHOOLS. 

The  numerous  establishments  comprised  under  these 
denominations  are  classified  according  to  the  different 
ministers  who  have  the  superintendence  over  them. 

1 .   Schools  undei*  the  superintendence  of  the  Minister 

of  Finance, 

A.  Mining  Schools, 

Peter  the  Great,  justly  appreciating  the  value  of  the 

mineral  riches  of  Siberia,  had  already  founded  a  few 

schools,  having  for  their  object   the    preparation    of 

young  pei-sons  for  directing  the  working  of  the  mines. 


These  establishments  were,  however,  only  elementary, 
and  it  was  not  until  under  the  reign  of  Catherine  II., 
in  1773,  that  the  School  of  Mining,  now  in  existence, 
was  founded  at  St.  Petersburgh.  All  these  establish- 
ments are  at  present  arranged  under  three  heads,  viz. 
primary  schools,  organised  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
mines  and  mining  establishments,  and  intended  for  the 
elementary  instruction  of  the  children  of  miners 
and  other  workmen:  middle  schools,  in  which  the 
pupils  of  the  inferior  schools  who  have  distinguished 
themselves  enter  upon  a  course  of  studies  calculated 
to  qualify  them  for  secondary  employments  in  the 
mining  boards  :  and  lastly,  the  superior  schools,  such 
as  the  Institution  for  Mining  Engineers,  the  Techno- 
logical Mining  School  at  St.  Petersburgh,  the  Section 
of  Medallists  at  the  mint  at  St.  Petersburgh,  and  the 
Technological  School  lately  formed  at  Barnaoul. 

In  the  inferior  schools,  which  are  56  in  number, 
there  are  189  masters  and  4,034  pupils  ;  the  middle 
schools  of  Nertchinsk  and  Barnaoul  reckon  242  stu- 
dents. The  total  number  of  pupils  in  the  mining- 
schools  of  every  class  is  4,613,  and  the  amount  an- 
nually allowed  by  the  government  for  their  support  is 
647,911  roubles. 

Besides  the  scliools  founded  and  supported  by  the 
state,  several  individuals,  proprietors  of  mines,  have 
also    formed   similar    establishments.      That   of    the 

M  2 


1G4 


VARIOUS    SCHOOLS. 


Countess  Strogonoff  reckons  already  44  teachers  and 
451  pupils,  and  that  founded  in  1806  at  Nijny-Tahil 
has  150  pupils.  Calculating  in  round  numbers  the 
pupils  belonging  to  these  special  schools  at  1000,  the 
total  number  of  pupils  will  by  this  addition  amount  to 
5,613. 

B.  Various  Schools  under  the  superintendence  of  the 

Minister  of  Finance. 

These  are  10  in  number :  — the  Forest  Institute  and 
the  Practical  Technological  Institute  at  St.  Peters- 
burffh  :  the  two  marine-merchant  schools  at  St. 
Petersburgh  and  Kherson  ;  the  Academy  of  Commerce 
at  Moscow ;  the  Agricultural  School  at  Gorygoretsk ; 
the  School  of  Land-surveyors  and  the  School  of  Design 
at  Tchernigoff ;  and  the  two  schools  for  Forest  Sciences 
at  Metau  and  Lissinsk  near  Tsarkoeselo,  the  former 
established  in  1834  and  the  latter  in  1835:  608  pupils 
attend  these  schools,  the  expenses  for  maintaining 
which  amount  to  384,280  roubles.  The  total  number 
of  schools  placed  under  the  direction  of  this  minister 
amounts  to  72,  having  6,221  pupils,  the  annual 
budget  of  which  is  1,032,191  roubles. 

2. — Schools  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Minister 

of  the  Interior. 

These  schools  may  be   divided    into  such   as   are 


i'l 


MEDICAL    SCHOOLS. 


165 


placed  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  minister, 
and  such  as  are  regulated  by  tlie  Boards  of  Public 
Charitable  Institutions. 

Amongst  the  first  class,  those  of  medicine  are  the 
most  important.  Towards  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  the  schools  of  assistant  surgeons,  founded  by 
Peter  the  Great,  at  the  military  hospitals  of  the  two 
capitals  and  at  Cronstadt,  were  the  only  establish- 
ments of  the  kind  in  Russia.  In  1799,  the  Emperor 
Paul  abolished  these  schools,  replacing  them  by  the 
two  Academies  of  Medicine  at  St.  Petersburgh  and 
Moscow.  These  were  united  in  1808,  and  formed  into 
one  institution,  named  the  Medico- Chirurgical  Aca- 
demy, A  new  school  of  the  same  description  was 
founded  in  1832  at  Vilna.  The  number  of  pupils  in 
all  these  establishments  had  increased  from  the  end  of 
the  year  1835  to  2,148,  the  expenses  amounting  annu- 
ally to  875,442  roubles.  The  other  schools  placed 
under  the  direction  of  this  minister  are  that  of  phar- 
macy at  St.  Petersburgh,  the  subsidiary  surgical 
schools,  and  five  others  connected  with  agricultural 
and  horticultural  pursuits. 

The  Boards  of  Public  Charitable  Institutions  origi- 
nated in  1775.  Each  of  these  boards  was  endowed, 
at  its  creation,  with  15,000  roubles,  forming  a  total  of 
675,000.  In  1808  this  capital  had  increased  to  the 
sum  of  8,878,000  roubles;   in    1820,  to  36,416,200 


■  } 


i 


I 


II 


166 


CHAKITABLE    INSTITUTIONS. 


roubles;   in    1830,   to   89,938,950   roubles;    and   in 
1836,  to  122,851,387  roubles. 

The  schools  superintended  and  maintained  at  the 
expense  of  these  boards  are  those  for  the  sons  of  inferior 
clerks  in  public  offices,  orphan  hospitals,  and  schools  for 
poor  children.  These  are  sixteen  in  number,  with 
1,612  pupils;  annual  expenses,  105,415  roubles. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  same  board,  are  also 
twenty-four  houses  of  education,  with  about  4,300 
pupils;  besides  which,  a  sum  of  about  129,000  roubles 
is  annually  expended  for  the  education  of  4,124  poor 
children,  who  are  boarded  in  the  houses  of  private 
individuals,  or  in  the  villages. 

The  total  number  of  hospitals  and  schools  under 
these  boards  is  about  sixty  ;  more  than  10,540  orphans 
or  poor  children  are  brought  up  in  them,  the  expenses 
being  about  600,000  roubles. 

The  total  number  of  schools  placed  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  is  107  ;  the  number 
of  pupils  is  13,340,  and  their  annual  budget  amounts 
to  1,962,714  roubles. 

3. — Schools  wider  the  superintendence  of  the  Minister 

of  the  Ewperors  Household. 

Academy  of  the  Fine  Arts. — This  establishment, 
founded  in  1748,  under  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  re- 
ceived at  first  30  pupils:  in  1764  it  was  placed  upon 


ACADEMIES    OF    THE    FINE    ARTS. 


167 


a  larger  scale,  60,000  roubles  being  then  annually 
assigned  for  its  support.  In  1802,  the  number  of 
pupils  was  increased  to  300,  with  an  annual  budget  of 
146,000  roubles.  In  1830,  the  number  of  pupils  sup- 
ported at  the  government's  expense  was  fixed  at  50 ; 
100  paid  for  their  education,  and  from  150  to  200 
were  out-door  scholars,  with  permission  to  attend  the 
classes.  The  annual  budget  of  the  establishment  has 
been  increased  to  221,825  roubles. 

The  School  of  Architecture  at  Moscow,  the  Thea- 
trical School  at  St.  Petersburgh,  and  the  School  of  the 
Court  ChoristerSy  are  also  placed  under  the  directions 
of  this  minister. 

The  four  establishments  together  reckon  345  pupils, 
with  an  annual  budget  of  391,825  roubles. 


4. — Schools  under  the  supenntendence  of  the  Minister 

of  Appanages. 

The  numerous  schools  lately  organised  in  the  ap- 
panage lands  are  a  new  proof  of  the  unremitting  care 
of  the  government  to  propagate  useful  knowledge 
throughout  the  agricultural  classes.  In  1832  an 
agricultural  school  was  founded  for  250  pupils,  in  ad- 
dition to  which  there  have  been  established,  since  1828, 
sixty-five  elementary  village  schools  and  two  normal 
ones, — not  less  than  1,070  pupils  being  thus  lodged, 


168 


SCHOOLS    OF    Civil,    ENGINEERS. 


I 


i 


■ 


clothed,  and  fed  at  the  expense  of  this  department  of 
the  state. 

5. —  Schools  under  the    superintendence  of  the    Coin- 

mission  of  Public  Roads. 

These  are  three  in  number. — The  Institution  of 
Engineers  of  Public  Roads,  tlie  School  of  Civil  En- 
gineers, School  of  the  Managers  of  Public  Roads, 
The  first  of  these  was  founded  in  1810,  and,  after 
being  modified  in  1824,  was  remodelled  in  183 1 .  The 
number  of  pupils  is  265,  of  whom  160  are  educated 
at  the  charge  of  government,  and  105  at  their  own. 
The  annual  expense  of  this  establishment  is  192,000 
roubles.  The  second  was  founded  in  1832,  and  the  total 
number  of  pupils  is  100.  The  third  was  established 
in  1826 ;  the  number  of  pupils  is  300,  the  annual 
expense  being  about  189,545  roubles. 

Total  of  the  three  schools,  665  pupils ;  expenses 
381,545  roubles  annually. 

6. — Schools  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Minister 

of  the  Interior. 

a.  School  of  Jurisprude?ice  at  St.  Petersburgh. — 
This  institution  was  founded  in  1835  by  the  en- 
lightened patriotism  of  his  Highness  Prince  Peter  of 
Oldenburgh,  and  has  for  its  express  object  the  educa- 
tion of  those  sons  of  the  nobility  who  are  intended  for 


ROYAL    INSTITUTES. 


169 


filling  judicial  oflices.  The  number  of  pupils  is  fixed 
at  150,  and  a  sum  of  156,654  roubles  is  annually 
allowed  for  the  support  of  the  establishment. 

b.  Constantine's  Land  Surveying  Institute  at  Moscow. 
— The  annual  expense  of  this  establishment,  which  was 
reorganised  in  1836,  is  117,000  roubles;  the  number 
of  pupils  is  200,  fifty  of  whom  pay  their  own  expenses. 

7. — School  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Minister 

for  Foreign  Affairs. 

The  Oriental  Institute  of  the  Minister  for  Foreign 
Affairs.  —This  establishment  receives  six  pupils,  whom 
it  qualifies,  by  the  study  of  the  Oriental  languages,  for 
acting  as  diplomatic  interpreters. 

8. — Institutes  of  the  Empress  Maria,  placed  under  the 
protection  of  her  Majesty,  the  reigning  Empress. 

In  this  number  are  comprised  the  two  Foundling 
Hospitals;  that  of  Moscow,  founded  in  1763,  and 
that  of  St.  Petersburgh,  founded  in  1770.  Not- 
withstanding the  large  sums  appropriated  to  them, 
they  were  by  no  means  in  a  flourishing  condition 
imtil  the  Empress  Maria  took  them  under  her  special 
protection.  The  hospital  at  St.  Petersburgh  is  divided 
into  two  sections,  one  for  girls,  which  is  situated  in  the 
city  itself,  the  other  for  boys,  at  Gatchina ;  the  number 
of  pupils  is  19,093  ;  that  at  Moscow  reckons  30,811  ; 


!1 


1  ■ 


•  I 


J 


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i'l 


f 


! 


I 


II 


\4 


170 


ROYAL    INSTITUTIONS. 


the  two  together,  49,904,  who  are  either  at  the  hos- 
pitals themselves,  apprenticed  out  to  differeut  trades, 
or,  lastly,  at  the  universities  and  superior  schools, 
where  they  continue  their  studies  at  the  expense  of 
the  establishment  which  fostered  their  infancy.  The 
government  annually  assists  these  institutions  with 
about  3,000,000  roubles. 

Several  other  establishments  of  education  are  partly 
maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  above  institutions. 
These  are  the  Schools  of  Commerce  at  St.  Petersburgh, 
the  School  of  Commerce  at  Moscow,  Alexanders 
Orphan  Institution  at  Moscow,  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 
Institution  at  St.  Petersburgh,  and  the  Hospital  for 
the  Blind  at  Gatchina — establishments  whose  inmates 
amount  to  775,  and  which  are  annually  assisted  by 
government  with  525,296  roubles. 

To  the  above  institutions  must  be  added  eleven  other 
establishments  for  the  education  of  young  ladies,  the 
number  of  pupils  being  2,264,  with  an  annual  allow- 
ance of  1,220,192  roubles  for  tlieir  maintenance. 

9. — Institutions   placed  under    the    immediate    super- 
intendence of  her  Majesty  the  reigning  Empress. 

The  Patriotic  Institution.  —  On  the  1st  of  January, 
1836,  the  number  of  pupils  was  245,  and  the  balance 
in  hand  644,211  roubles. 

House  of  Industry. — On  the  1st  of  January,  1836, 


1 


BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 


171 


the  number  of  pupils  was  72,  and  of  those  who  paid 
their  own  expenses  128.  During  the  course  of  the 
year  there  had  been  26  ill,  but  only  one  death.  The 
balance  in  hand  was  638,848  roubles. 

Poltowa  Institution  for  Noble  Young  Ladies. — Her 
Majesty  condescended  to  visit  this  institution  in  1835, 
and  to  honour  it  with  her  approbation.  On  the  1st 
of  January,  1836,  the  estabhshment  reckoned  on  110 
pupils,  and  55  who  paid  their  own  expenses.  The  re- 
sources of  the  institution  have  been  increased  by  a 
decree  of  the  Emperor,  who  has  also  presented  it 
with  200  iron  beds.  On  the  1st  of  January,  the 
capital  in  hand  was  280,560  roubles. 

Moscow  House  of  Industry. — On  the  1st  of  January, 
1836,  the  number  of  pupils  was  50  ;  of  those  who  pay 
their  own  expenses,  51  ;  and  9  who  only  pay  half — 
total  1 10.  The  balance  in  hand  for  1836  was  443,805 
roubles. 

Christian  Charity  Society  and  House  of  Industry  at 
TimbirsL — On  the  1st  of  January,  1836,  the  balance 
in  hand  of  this  society  was  10,166  roubles.  In  the 
course  of  the  year  assistance  has  been  afforded  to  fifty 
famihes,  eight  of  whom  enjoy  pecuniary  assistance 
to  a  stated  amount.  By  order  of  her  Majesty,  the 
capital  of  this  society  has  been  united  to  that  of  the 
House  of  Industry ;  making  together,  on  the   1st  of 


i!^:^  i 


i' 


.  h 


i 


1 


I 


A 

I  ■ 


172 


BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 


January,  1836,  84,422  roubles  21  copecks.  The 
number  of  pupils  20. 

The  Cronstadt  Orphan  Hospital, — On  the  1st  of 
January,  1836,  the  number  of  pupils  was  30,  and  of 
those  paying  their  own  expenses  3 ;  the  balance  in 
hand  28,647  roubles. 

Kieff  Benevolent  Society  and  Countess  Levaschoff'^s 
School, — This  society  has  114  effective  and  43  hono- 
rary members.  Pecuniary  assistance  to  a  stated 
amount  has  been  again  granted  to  eight  families,  while 
from  twenty-one  others,  such  assistance  has,  for  vari- 
ous reasons,  been  withdrawn.  The  number  of  families 
receiving  pecuniary  aid  from  the  society  is  186.  The 
society  has  found  employ  for  69  otlier  families ;  14 
poor  girls  have  been  educated  at  its  expense ;  10 
female  orphans  have  been  placed  in  an  institution 
organised  for  that  purpose,  and  four  boys  have  been  ap- 
prenticed to  different  trades.  The  number  of  families 
assisted  in  one  way  or  another  is  297.  The  balance 
in  hand  on  the  1st  of  January,  1836,  was  16,562 
roubles  30  copecks. 

Alexandrina  Institute  for  Noble  Young  Ladies, 
founded  at  Tamhoff, — The  committee  entrusted  with 
the  organisation  of  this  new  institution  are  at  present 
engaged  in  drawing  up  the  regulations,  which  will  be 
submitted  to  her  Majesty.  At  a  general  meeting  on 
the    15th    of  December,    1835,  tlie    nobility  of   the 


HOUSE    OF    INDUSTRY. 


173 


government  of  Tamboff  voted  a  fresh  sum  of  113,000 
roubles  for  the  construction  of  the  necessary  buildings; 
which  sum,  added  to  the  former  votes,  makes  a  total 
of  339,000  roubles. 

Demidoff  House  of  Industry, — The  sphere  of  ac- 
tivity of  this  establishment  is  daily  enlarging.  The 
number  of  persons  received  in  it  has  increased  from  17 
to  52 ;  in  addition  to  which,  from  16  to  75  persons, 
chiefly  females,  have  daily  applied  for  work.  Total 
number  of  rations  of  food  distributed,  22,649;  money, 
2,370  roubles  75  copecks. 

In  consequence  of  donations  from  individuals, 
amounting  to  85,000  roubles,  the  establishment  is 
enabled  to  found  a  school  for  poor  children,  at  which 
also  other  pupils  will  be  admitted  upon  payment  of 
150  roubles  yearly.  Balance  in  hand  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1836,  (exclusively  of  25,092  roubles  coming 
from  the  promised  donations,)  313,888  roubles  50 
copecks.  The  buildings  belonging  to  the  establish- 
ment may  be  valued  at  240,000  roubles,  and  its  tools, 
&c.,  at  40,000  roubles  more. 

Horticultural  Amateur  Society  at  Moscow, — The 
labours  of  this  society,  formed  in  1835,  and  consisting 
of  70  members,  are  under  the  management  of  a  coun- 
cil composed  of  twelve  persons.  A  portion  of  the 
land  has  been  placed  at  its  disposition,  besides 
550  plants  from  the  botanical  garden.    Her  Majesty 


y 


V,  « 


•ji 


174 


BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 


has,  moreover,  promised  it  an  annual  aid  of  1,000 
roubles.  Its  operations  are  to  commence  in  the  spring 
of  the  year  1836,  and  it  is  intended  to  form  a  school 
of  gardeners.  Balance  in  hand  on  the  1st  of  January, 
1836,  18,225  roubles  97  copecks. 

X. — VARIOUS    CHARITABLE    INSTITUTIONS. 

a.  Two  establishments  placed  under  the  protection 
of  her  Imperial  Highness  the  Grand  Duchess  Helen. 
Number  of  pupils  165. 

b.  Nine  institutions  for  the  education  of  young 
ladies,  with  237  pupils,  and  an  annual  budget  of 
91,340  roubles,  established  in  the  different  provincial 
towns,  and  managed  by  the  local  authorities. 


U<^\ 


XI. SCHOOLS    WHICH    ARE    SUPPORTED    WITHOUT 

ANY    ASSISTANCE    FROM    GOVERNMENT. 

a.  Four  German  schools  at  St.  Petersburgh, — num- 
ber of  pupils,  1,160  ;  and  750  schools  existing  in  the 
German  colonies,  established  in  the  southern  provinces 
of  the  empire, — number  of  pupils,  35,746. 

b.  Tartar  schools  in  the  same  provinces  561  in 
number,  with  14,000  pupils. 

c.  Two  Jews'  schools,  with  500  pupils,  maintained 
at  an  expense  of  20,500  roubles. 

The  number  of  schools  maintained  at  the  charge  of 


COSSACK    SCHOOL. 


175 


the  government  is  2,841  ;  and  the  amount  of  the  sums 
allowed  for  their  support  is  28,734,141  roubles. 

In  order  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  the  state  of  in- 
struction in  Russia,  we  must  ascertain  the  number  of 
children  who  receive  their  education  under  the  pa- 
ternal roof. 

It  is  evident  that  such  a  calculation  can  only  be 
approximate;  but,  according  to  the  best  data,  the 
number  enjoying  that  benefit  is  1,058,000. 

XII.  — COSSACK    AND    ASIATIC    SCHOOLS    ESTABLISHED 

AT    ORUSK. 

The  Cossack  school  was  founded  in  this  town  in 
1813  by  Lieutenant-General  Glasenap,  with  the  object 
of  forming  good  officers  and  ouriadniks  for  the  ten 
regiments  of  Cossacks  and  the  brigade  of  horse  artil- 
lery, as  also  efficient  clerks  for  the  Cossack  chancery. 
The  branches  taught  are  writing,  arithmetic,  the  Rus- 
sian, Sclavonic,  French,  and  German  languages,  his- 
tory sacred  and  profane,  algebra,  geometry,  artillery, 
fortification,  drawing  of  plans  military  and  architec- 
tural, as  well  as  the  sketching  of  military  positions 
with  the  pen,  Russian  literature,  and  geography.  The 
school  has  now  been  placed  under  the  superintendence 
of  the  chief  military  commandant  of  Siberia,  and  that 
of  a  director  chosen  from  the  army.  The  number  of 
pupils  is  300 ;  the  annual  allowance  is  50,000  roubles, 


t  i 


'-;  \ 


176 


ASIATIC    SCHOOL. 


■■■ 


H 


i 


besides    10,296    roubles  for    books,  maps,   and  other 
objects  necessary  for  instruction. 

The  Asiatic  school  was  founded  at  Orusk  in  1789, 
for  the  purpose  of  supplying  interpreters  to  all  the 
frontier  line  of  Siberia.  It  was  at  first  composed  of 
20  pupils  for  the  Tartar  language,  five  for  the  Mand- 
jora  and  Mogul,  with  two  masters.  A  sum  of  531 
roubles  35  copecks  was  assigned  for  its  support.  None 
were  admissible  but  the  children  of  Cossacks  upon  the 
Siberian  line.  At  a  later  period  the  children  of  Maho- 
metan employes,  attached  to  the  frontier  service,  were 
eligible.  Since  1821  the  government  has  increased 
the  Annual  allowance,  with  an  additional  sum  of  5,000 
roubles,  and  has  ordered  that  6  of  the  25  pupils  should 
be  sent  to  the  Casan  gymnasium,  to  perfect  them- 
selves in  the  Oriental  languages :  these  pupils  have 
each  600  roubles  annually  paid  for  them  while  at 
Casan,  until  qualified  to  enter  the  university. 


*  1 


';!! 


177 


AN 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH   OF 

THE  CITY  OF  RIGA,  ITS  TRADE,  &c. 


Towards  the  middle  of  the  eleventh  century  some 
Bremen  traders,  on  their  way  to  Wisby,  in  the  Isle 
of  Gothland,  which  was  then  the  centre  of  the  Baltic 
trade,  were  driven  by  contrary  winds  upon  a  coast 
unknown  to  them.  It  was  that  of  Livonia,  then 
inhabited  by  tribes  of  Finlanders ;  many  of  these 
were  tributaries  of  the  Grand  Dukes  of  Russia,  whilst 
others,  especially  the  inhabitants  of  the  Isles  of  Oesel, 
subject  only  to  native  chiefs,  had  made  themselves 
formidable  as  pirates. 

No  sooner  was  this  discovery  known  in  Germany, 
than  a  missionary,  one  father  Meinhard,  was  de- 
spatched thither  with  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Livonia ; 
and  the  Pope  having  declared  that  the  merit  of  a 
crusade  upon  these  shores  would  equal  one  in  Pales- 
tine, crowds  of   German  knights  hastened  to  defend 

N 


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178 


FOUNDATIX)N    OF    RIGA. 


the  establishments  of  the  missionaries,  and  to  reduce 
to  submission  the  pagan  inhabitants.  Albert,  the 
third  Livonian  bishop,  finding  that,  without  trade  and 
commerce,  the  conquests  of  the  Germans  in  these 
regions  would  not  only  be  valueless,  but  even  inse- 
cure, and  being  consequently  desirous  of  attracting  a 
commercial  population  to  the  country,  founded,  about 
the  year  1200,  the  city  of  Riga,  upon  the  right  bank 
of  the  Duna,  which  river  would  form  its  port. 

In  order  to  insure  the  prosperity  of  this  new  town, 
and  to  draw  colonists  thither,  its  founder  granted  it 
many  privileges,  amongst  which  were  the  right  of 
choosing  its  own  magistrates,  and  of  coining  money ; 
a  considerable  extent  of  territory  was  given  it  in 
perpetuity,  with  a  promise  of  part  of  such  conquests 
as  should  be  made  in  the  country.  These  advantages 
had  so  good  an  effect,  that,  in  the  thirteenth  century, 
Riga  entered  the  league  of  the  Hanseatic  towns  ;  and 
in  the  sixteenth,  commerce  had  been  productive  of 
so  much  w^ealth,  that  the  power  and  riches  of  its  in- 
habitants became  proverbial. 

About  this  period  some  missionaries  from  the  Ger- 
man universities  having  preached  there  the  doctrine 
of  Luther,  the  Reformation  was  eagerly  embraced, 
and  the  magistrates  and  citizens  entirely  shook  off  the 
archi episcopal  authority.  In  1561  Riga  became  a 
free  imperial  town;   and  twenty  years  later,  in   1581, 


TRADE    OF    RIGA. 


179 


It  finally  acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  the  kings  of 
Poland,— not,  however,  without  having  its  privileges 
guaranteed  to  it. 

Since  this  time  its  fortunes  have  been  various ;  and 
in  1621  the  hero  of  the  north,  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
besieged  Riga  in  person.  After  a  vigorous  defence  it 
surrendered  upon  terms,  and  the  Polish  standard  was 
surmounted  by  that  of  Sweden. 

From  information  which  we  possess  respecting  the 
trade  of  Riga  at  this  opocha,  it  appears  to  have  fallen 
off  considerably  from  its  ancient  importance.  We 
know,  for  instance,  that  the  number  of  ships  which 
entered  its  port  did  not  exceed,  in  1621,  16 1,  of  which 
64  belonged  to  the  city;  in  1623,  108,  of  which  56 
belonged  to  the  city;  in  1624,  152,  of  which  43  be- 
longed to  the  city  ;  and  as  at  this  time  vessels  were 
of  a  very  moderate  tonnage,  these  numbers  give  no 
very  great  idea  of  its  commerce. 

After  having  suffered  two  dreadful  conflagrations 
in  1667  and  1677,  and  been  twice  besieged  in  1700 
and  1709,  it  at  length  yielded  to  the  Russian  arms  in 
1710. 

It  is  only  since  this  time  that  Riga  has  really  en- 
joyed all  the  advantages  of  its  position,— it  is  only 
since  then  that  it  has  become  what  it  ought  to  be,  the 
principal  outlet  for  a  great  part  of  Russia  and  Li- 
thuania.   At  the  time  of  the  accession  of  Catherine  II., 

N  2 


1 


1 


^H 


I 


; 


180 


TRADE    OF    RIGA. 


Riga  already  reckoned  more  than  20,000  souls ;  and 
the  following  details  will  serve  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
flourishing  state  of  its  commerce  at  this  period. 

The  number  of  ships  entered,  amounted,  in  1766,  to 
612;  in  1768,  to  541  ;  in  1770,  to  609;  in  1771,  to 
752  ;   in  1772,  to  1019  ;  in  1774  to  779 ;   in  1775,  to 

849. 

The  value  of  imports  and  exports  was 

Imports.  Exports. 

In  1766      1,211,914     silver  roubles     2,266,193     silver  roubles 
1771     1,179,274         ....     2,911,060  — 

The  annual  proceeds  of  the  custom  house  duties 
varied  between  520,000  and  560,000  silver  roubles. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  comparative  in- 
crease and  decrease  of  its  commerce. 


Year. 

Ships 
entered. 

With 
cargo. 

In 
ballast 

Ships 
Tonnage.  '    left. 

With 
cargo. 

In 
ballast. 

Tonnage. 

Value  of 
Iniport.s. 

Value  of 
Exports. 

1825 

1,002 

385 

617 

142,928      997 

985 

12 

141,781 

Koables. 

18,827,620 

Koublex. 

45,150,657 

1830 

1,241 

411 

830 

172,000    1,246 

1,232 

14 

172,796 

13,747,489 

41,126,200 

1835 

914 

361 

553 

127,796 

890 

879 

11 

124,460 

18,2^^5,961 

38,204.991 

1836 

1,102 

1,127 

15,093,675 

47,725,684 

The  amount  of  custom-house  duties  has  varied 
during  this  period  between  8,000,000  and  8,500,000 
roubles. 

A  comparison  of  the  official  documents  of  different 
periods  will  also  show  that  the  great  increase  of  trade 


TRADE    OF    RIGA. 


181 


since  the  reign  of  Catherine  11.  has  not   been  made  in 
the  same  proportion  upon  all  articles.     The  trade  in 
grain,  for  instance,  has  even  lost  some  of  its  former 
importance;  for,  in  1774,  the  total  of  corn  exported 
was   189,000  tchetverts;  in  1825  it  was  only  57,003  ; 
and  even  in  1830,  a  year  remarkable  for  commercial  ac- 
tivity, it  did  not  exceed  167,923  tchetverts.    The  hemp 
trade  has  maintained  itself  in  nearly  an  equal  state  ; 
the  quantities  exported  being,  in  1774,  666,  440  poods  ; 
in  1825,  680,222  poods;  and  in  1830,  660,704  poods. 
The  increase  has  principally  been  upon  three  articles, 
viz.  flax,  linseed,   and  wood.     In    1774,   one   of  the 
most  remarkable  years  for  the   flourishing   state   of 
commerce,  Riga  exported  only  406,570  poods  of  flax ; 
in   1825,  1,421,490,  the  value  of  which  may  be  es- 
timated  at  21,322,350  roubles  ;  and  in   1836,  to  the 
amount  of  23,829,920  roubles.      With  respect  to  the 
linseed  trade,  the  annual  exportation  rose,  from  the 
year  1760  to  1780,  to  about   35,000   tchetverts;    in 
1825,    187,232    tchetverts  were    exported,    valued  at 
3,950,595  roubles;  in  1830,  259,989  tchetverts,  value 
6,499,725    roubles;    and   in  1836,  to  the  amount  of 
8,731,763  roubles.     The  wood  trade  has  also  expe- 
rienced   a    similar   increase.      In    1830,  the   exports 
amounted  in  value  to  2,103,503  roubles;  in   1835,  to 
2,893,921  roubles ;  and  in  1836,  to  3,583,763  roubles. 
Riga,    which  at  a  time  not  very  remote  could  not 


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182 


PROSPERITY    OF    RIGA. 


boast  of  one  manufactory,  unless  a  few  tan-pits  be  con- 
sidered as  such,  now  reckons  25,  employing  1,397 
workmen.  Under  the  Empress  Catherine  its  popu- 
lation scarcely  reached  20,000  souls;  in  1824  it  was 
31,908;  in  1830,  49,321;  and  in  1835,  67,338,  in- 
cluding a  garrison  of  10,000  men. 

The  increase  of  the  city  has  kept  pace  with  that  of 
its  population.  In  1835  there  were  842  houses,  en- 
tirely built  of  stone  ;  in  the  suburbs  the  number  of 
wooden  houses,  which  in  1824  was  2,655,  amounted, 
in  1835,  to  3,081.  The  number  of  churches  in  the 
city  and  its  suburbs  is  18,  exclusive  of  five  chapels. 
The  formerly  barren  shores  of  the  river  are  now  em- 
bellished with  gardens,  of  which  there  are  not  fewer 
than  2,044 ;  while  neat  and  even  elegant  country 
houses  impart  to  the  whole  scene  a  character  of  in- 
creasing prosperity. 


183 


THE  MINES  IN  FINLAND. 


The  mineral  riches  found  in  the  Oural  and  Altai 
mountains  are  not  confined  exclusively  to  those  parts 
of  the  empire.  Amongst  several  others,  the  mines  of 
the  Grand  Duchy  of  Finland  promise  to  be  of  great 
importance. 

This  vast  country,  situated  under  a  rigorous  climate, 
thinly  inhabited  and  little  cultivated,  bristling  with 
rocks,  and  intersected  in  every  direction  by  lakes 
surrounded  with  forests  of  fir,  abounds  in  mines  of 
iron  of  two  distinct  kinds.  The  hills,  of  a  compara- 
tively recent  formation,  which  rest  upon  the  primitive 
rock,  contain  veins  of  an  ore  fit  for  the  manufacture 
of  wrought  iron,  while  layers  of  a  fusible  ore  are 
found  buried  at  a  small  depth  in  marshes  and  along 
the  borders  of  the  lakes. 

For  a  long  time  the  mines  of  the  first  description 
were  neglected.     Forges  and  furnaces,  it  is  true,  were 


184 


MINES    IN    FINLAND. 


known  in  Finland  at  a  very  remote  period,  but  the 
cast  iron  necessary  for  the  fabrication  of  wrought  iron 
was  procured  from  Sweden, — it  never  having  occurred 
to  any  one  to  take  advantage  of  the  mines  which 
chance  had  discovered.  Subsequently,  however,  owing 
to  the  exertions  of  the  Board  of  Mines,  the  working  of 
them  has  commenced,  and  better  directed  efforts  have 
led  to  new  discoveries. 

The  number  of  mines  now  in  work  is  13.  The 
richest  ore,  produced  from  the  mines  of  the  Gamn- 
holm  and  Oiama,  contains  from  53  to  54  per  cent, 
of  metal ;  whilst  the  poorest,  that  of  the  Youssaro  mine, 
yields  thirty  per  cent,  of  cast  iron. 

The  smelting  of  these  ores  is  performed  in  eight 
different  furnaces,  which  consume  more  ore  even  than 
Finland  can  at  present  furnish  ;  the  deficit  is  supplied 
by  Sweden,  Almost  the  whole  of  the  cast  iron  pro- 
duced by  them  is  distributed  amongst  the  forges  esta- 
blished in  different  parts  of  the  country,  to  be  by  them 
converted  into  wrought  iron.  These  forges,  in  num- 
ber 16,  manufacture  annually  about  13,193  schippund, 
or  121,350  poods  of  wrought  iron. 

The  habit  of  giving  a  preference  to  foreign  produce, 
the  want  of  capital,  and  the  uncertainty  of  success,  are 
the  causes  which  appear  to  have  hitherto  retarded  the 
advance  of  this  branch  of  the  national  industry ;  but 
there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that   experience,  and, 


COPPER    MINE. 


185 


above  all,  the  recent  discovery  of  very  rich  mines,  will 
contribute  to  develope  it  to  its  fullest  extent. 

As  to  those  immense  beds  of  iron  ore  which  extend 
throughout  the  country,  along  the  shores  of  lakes  and 
at  the  bottom  of  marshes,  the  working  of  them  is  so 
easy  as  to  have  been  practised  almost  from  time  im- 
memorial. 

The  number  of  forges  and  smelting-houses  in  the 
interior  of  Finland  is  considerable,  but  they  are  gene- 
rally small,  the  largest  not  producing  more  than  200 
schippund  of  iron.  The  government  does  all  in  its 
power  to  encourage  this  description  of  industry,  by 
granting  exemptions  from  taxes,  and  offering  pre- 
miums. 

Seven  new  forging  establishments  have  lately  been 
erected ;  and  experience  has  proved  that  the  marsh 
ore  is  preferable  to  any  other,  the  wrought  iron  pro- 
duced from  it  being  tougher,  and  less  ductile. 

Next  to  iron,  copper  is  the  most  important  mineral 
of  Finland.  Up  to  the  present  time  only  one  copper 
mine,  that  of  Ovi-yervi,  discovered  in  1758,  has  been 
worked.  M.  Omelianoff  has,  however,  lately  obtained 
a  patent  for  the  working  of  copper  and  tin  mines 
found  near  Nitkaranda.  Success  appears  certain,  and 
it  is  hoped  that  the  mines  of  Finland  will  henceforth 
receive  all  the  attention  their  importance  demands. 


I 


I 


ji 


tl 


186 


SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  PROVINCE  OF 

TOBOLSK. 


Considerable  difference,  both  in  soil  and  climate, 
must  necessarily  be  found  in  the  various  parts  of  a 
province  which,  like  that  of  Tobolsk,  comprehends  an 
extent  of  18,307  geographical  square  miles,  and  lies 
between  the  55°  and  74°  of  latitude. 

Whilst,  towards  the  north,  the  plains  extending  from 
the  river  Ob  as  far  as  the  Icy  Sea  form  but  one  vast 
morass,  which  is  covered  with  moss,  and  contains  a 
prodigious  quantity  of  fossil  remains,  the  land  in  the 
southern  districts  is  remarkable  for  its  vegetation, 
being  equally  adapted  for  tillage  or  pasture ;  the 
forests  abound  with  game ;  navigable  rivers,  well 
stocked  with  fish,  intersect  the  country  ;  and  the 
towns,  although  as  yet  few  in  number,  and  separated 
from  each  other  by  wild  and  uncultivated  deserts, 
have,   notwithstanding,  attained  a  much  greater  dc- 


WAR    WITH    THE    TARTAKS. 


187 


gree  of  importance  and  prosperity  than  is  generally 
imagined. 

As  to  their  history,  almost  all  of  them  have  arisen 
upon  the  ruins  of  some  Tartar  city,  respecting  the 
origin  of  which  tradition  has  not  been  silent.  It  was 
probably  towards  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century 
that  the  Tartars,  having  founded  an  empire  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Tobol  and  the  Irtysch,  by  the  subjuga- 
tion of  the  Finns,  the  Ostiaks,  and  the  Voo-ouls  inha- 
biting  them,  and  at  a  later  period  by  the  conquest 
of  the  numerous  hordes  under  the  sway  of  the  Khan 
of  Siberia,  often  devastated  the  provinces  adjoining 
Russia,  at  the  foot  of  the  Oural  mountains.  At  leno-th, 
in  1584,  Yermak,  an  intrepid  Cossack,  whose  name 
is  illustrious  in  Russian  annals,  was  the  first  who 
dared,  with  a  handful  of  men,  to  cross  the  Oural 
mountains,  and  to  penetrate  into  those  vast  and  un- 
explored forests  which  served  as  liaunts  for  the  ene- 
mies of  his  country.  After  a  few  battles  he  succeeded 
in  making  himself  master  of  the  city  of  Sibere,  the 
centre  and  capital  of  the  Tartar  empire.  This  expe- 
dition, projected  by  and  undertaken  at  the  sole  expense 
of  the  Stroyonoffs,  (noblemen  who  might  be  called  the 
wardens  of  the  frontiers,)  was  no  sooner  crowned  with 
success,  than  the  Czar,  Ivan  Vassilevitch,  despatched 
reinforcements  to  the  adventurous  chieftain.   Succeed- 


\\ 


188 


TOBOLSK    FOUNDED. 


ing  monarchs  maintained,  in  like  manner,  the  war 
against  the  Tartars,  who,  finding  themselves  every- 
where defeated,  abandoned  all  hope  of  re-establishing 
the  Khanate  of  Siberia. 

The  Czar,  Boris  GoudounofF,  contributed  most  effi- 
caciously to  complete  the  conquest  by  the  colonisation 
of  the  newly-subjected  country ;  and  the  origin  of  the 
greater  number  of  Russian  towns  in  this  part  of  Si- 
beria may  be  traced  to  his  reign. 

This  number  is,  at  present,  nine,  of  which  the  most 
important,  Tobolsk,  was  founded  in  1587  by  500  Cos- 
sacks, upon  the  right  bank  of  the  Irtysch,  exactly 
opposite  where  the  Tobol  forms  a  confluence  with  it, 
and  about  sixteen  versts  from  the  ancient  Sibere,  which 
was  gradually  abandoned  for  the  new  town.  Tobolsk, 
which  at  its  commencement  consisted  only  of  a  wooden 
fort,  a  church,  and  a  few  huts,  is  now  the  metropolis 
of  a  government,  the  residence  of  the  governor-ge- 
neral of  Western  Siberia,  and  an  archbishop's  see.  It 
contains  18  churches,  1,762  houses,  25  of  which  are 
built  with  stone,  and  15,379  inhabitants.  The  right 
bank  of  the  Irtysch  being  much  higher  than  the  op- 
posite one,  the  summit  affords  a  most  magnificent 
prospect  of  the  vast  plains  watered  by  the  Tobol ;  and 
the  position  of  the  town  itself,  partly  built  upon  the 
top  and  partly  at  the  foot  of  the  rugged   ascent,   is 


TUMENE    AND    BEREZOFF. 


189 


extremely  picturesque.  The  streets,  which  are  mostly 
paved  with  wood,  intersect  each  other  at  right  angles  ; 
and  several  remarkable  and  elegant  edifices  embellish 
the  upper  town.  Chinese  silks  and  Boukharian  stuffs 
of  the  richest  qualities  are  displayed  in  the  bazaars, 
in  quantities  far  exceeding  those  of  European  manu- 
facture. The  markets  are  abundantly  stocked  with 
provisions,  especially  game  and  fish ;  and  the  500  fruit 
and  kitchen  gardens  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
town  produce  a  greater  variety  of  fruits  and  vegetables 
than  might  be  expected  to  be  found  under  so  severe 
a  climate. 

Of  the  other  towns,  all  of  which,  excepting  one,  are 
built  to  the  south  of  Tobolsk,  Tumene  is  the  most 
considerable.  It  is  situated  on  the  fertile  banks  of 
the  Taura,  and  reckons  11  churches,  1,833  houses, 
two  of  which  only  are  built  of  stone,  and  9,213  in- 
habitants :  the  produce  of  its  tanneries  amounts  an- 
nually to  more  than  a  miUion  of  roubles.  BerezoflP, 
the  only  town  founded  by  the  Prussians  to  the  north 
of  Tobolsk,  is  situated  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ob  :  the 
severity  of  the  climate  and  the  nature  of  the  soil  for- 
bidding all  attempts  at  agriculture,  the  chase  and 
fishing  constitute  the  sole  resources  of  the  inhabitants. 
This  colony,  founded  in  1595,  has  derived  some  impor- 
tance from  its  fur  trade. 


h 


< 


190 


MANUFACTURES    AND    TRADES. 


The  following  table    may  give  some  idea  of  the 
actual  state  of  those  different  towns  : 


In  1835. 


Houses  of  Stone.     Houses  of  Wood. 


Tobolsk  contained 

25 

1,737 

Tuuiene 

2 

1,831 

Tour  in  sk 

8 

699 

Kourgane 

3 

428 

Yaloutorovsk 

3 

435 

Tara       -        .        . 

1 

787 

Ischime 

0 

363 

Toukalinsk 

0 

243 

BerezofF 

0 
42 

166 

Total 

6,689 

Inhabitants. 
15,379 

9,243 

2,685 
1,912 
2,009 
4,263 
1,180 
1,380 
61J 

39.631 


The  churches  were  49  in  number,  of  which  47 
were  built  with  stone;  the  monasteries  were  three, 
situated  at  Tobolsk,  Tumene,  and  Tourinsk. 

As  to  manufactures,  these  towns  are  confined  to 
soap-boiling,  the  melting  of  tallow,  and  the  making  of 
leather,  the  tanneries  being  114  in  number,  and  em- 
ploying 390  workmen.  Trade  is  the  principal  occu- 
pation of  the  inhabitants,  even  of  those  who  are  not 
actually  dealers,  properly  so  called  :  with  the  exception 
of  the  clergy  and  persons  employed  in  the  service  of 
government,  all   are  engaged  in   it,  exchanging  the 


EXPORTS  AND  IMPORTS. 


191 


produce  of  European  Russia, — corn,  meal,  and  iron, 
tools  and  utensils,  — for  the  skins,  cattle,  caviar,  fish 
salted  and  fresh,  and  game,  brought  to  them  from  the 
interior  by  the  Ostiaks  or  Tartars. 

The  large  rivers,  navigable  in  summer  and  covered 
with  ice  in  tlie  winter,  facilitate  the  communication 
in  both  seasons :  the  sledges  used  by  the  inhabitants 
are  in  the  south  drawn  by  horses,  and  in  the  north  by 
dogs  and  rein-deer. 

Every  year  the  merchants  of  Tobolsk,  Tumene,  and 
the  other  towns,  send  boats  laden  with  flour  up  the 
Irtysch  and  the  Ob  to  Berezoff*  and  the  other  small 
towns  situated  farther  to  the  north ;  these  boats  return 
freighted  with  fish.  The  clerks  and  agents  belonging 
to  these  merchants,  and  who  are  established  in  the 
small  towns  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ob,  purchase  of 
the  Ostiaks  valuable  furs,  which,  together  with  soap, 
tallow,  and  leather,  they  afterwards  export,  partly  to 
ihe  fair  of  Nijny-Novgorod,  and  partly  to  the  Kir- 
ghises  of  the  Steppes,  who  pay  them  in  horses,  cattle, 
and  cotton  stuffs,  purchased  by  themselves  of  the 
Boukharians :  the  remaining  produce  of  the  govern- 
ment of  Tobolsk  is  exported  by  the  way  of  Kiakhta 
into  China,  whence  are  brought  in  exchange  silks 
and  tea. 

Public  instruction,  notwithstanding  the  many  ob- 
vious difl&culties  opposing  it,  makes  considerable  pro- 


I 


192 


PUBLIC    INSTRUCTION. 


gress  in  this  portion  of  the  Russian  empire.  Tobolsk 
has  two  ecclesiastical  schools,  with  13  masters  and 
436  pupils  :  the  number  of  establishments  of  this  kind 
throughout  the  government  is  11,  with  34  masters  and 
686  pupils 


193 


COLONIES  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF 

SARATOFF. 


M 


i 


!  3 


II 


The  southern  provinces  of  the  Russian  empire,  which 
are  now  so  rapidly  increasing  both  in  importance  and 
wealth,  were  almost  wholly  uncultivated  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  eighteenth  century.  Peter  the  Great, 
who  appears  to  have  foreseen  the  future  destiny  of 
Russia,  and  to  have  traced  in  his  mind  the  path  she 
was  to  pursue,  purposed  turning  immediately  to 
account  the  natural  riches  of  those  vast  countries.  It 
was  his  intention  to  introduce  agriculture  there,  to 
form  permanent  estabHshments,  and  to  prepare  new 
channels  for  commerce,  by  uniting  the  Don  with  the 
Volga  by  means  of  a  canal.  But  not  having  been 
able  to  keep  the  port  of  Azof,  by  which  those  pro- 
vinces could  export  their  commodities,  he  died  be- 
fore it  was  possible  for  him  to  realise  his  brilliant 
conceptions, 
vor,.  II. 


tl 


.  r. 


194 


FOUNDATION    OF    SARATOFF. 


The  glory  of  commencing  their  execution  was 
reserved  for  the  Empress  Catherine  II.,  who,  from  the 
moment  of  her  accession,  was  occupied  with  the  care 
of  attracting  and  establishing  in  those  vast  solitudes 
an  agricultural  and  industrious  population.  The 
labours  undertaken  for  that  object,  and  persevered  in 
for  many  years,  were  at  length  crowned  with  success. 
Whilst,  on  the  one  hand,  numerous  villages  and  new 
towns  were  built  and  founded  in  the  Steppes  situated 
between  the  Dnieper  and  the  Don,  cultivation,  on  the 
other,  made  an  equally  rapid  progress  in  those  im- 
mense plains  wliich  are  traversed  by  the  Volga,  and 
which  separate  the  government  of  Astrakhan  from  the 
central  provinces  of  the  empire. 

Before  even  agi'iculture  was  introduced  into  the 
territory  which  now  forms  the  government  of  Sa- 
ratoff,  and  which  is  3,473  square  geographical 
miles  in  extent,  the  commercial  relations  of  the  cen- 
tral provinces  with  Astrakhan  and  the  Caspian  Sea 
had  caused  the  foundation  of  Saratoff,  and  of  several 
other  towns,  situated  upon  the  shores  of  the  Volga 
in  the  midst  of  the  deserts.  Along  the  northern 
borders  also  was  seen  a  thinly-scattered  Russian 
population  ;  some  Finnish  tribes  lived  upon  the  banks 
of  the  rivers,  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  woods,  making 
agriculture  and  fishing  their  chief  occupation,  while 
Tartar  hordes  wandered  through  the  Steppes. 


FOREIGN    COLONISTS. 


195 


Such   was    the   aspect   of  the   country   to    which 
Catherine  II.  was  desirous  of  imparting  culture  and 
civilisation.     Several   considerations   induced    her  to 
attract  thither  foreign  colonists.     In   the  first  place, 
not  any  of  the  Russian  provinces  was  as  yet  so  over- 
stocked with  inhabitants  as  to  be  in  a  condition  to 
spare  any  of  them ;  besides  which,  the  Empress  judged 
it  expedient  to  establish   there   a  population  which, 
coming  from  European   countries  where  agriculture 
was  most  advanced,  might  serve  for  an  example  and 
a  model.     The   Empress  attached  so  much  import- 
ance to  these  plans,  that  she  lost  not  a  moment  in 
carrying  them  into  execution.     On  the  22nd  of  July, 
1763,  being  scarcely  a  year  after  her  coming  to  the 
throne,  she  promulgated  a  decree,  by  which  foreign 
colonists  were  invited  to  come   and  take   possession 
of  the  lands  destined  for  them   on  the  shores  of  the 
Volga. 

Great  numbers  of  Germans  and  Swiss  shortly 
arrived  at  Saratoff,  where  they  were  joined  by  some 
French  and  Swedish  families :  the  total  number  soon 
reaching  ten  thousand.  They  were  at  first  received 
in  large  barracks  near  the  town.  Habitations  were 
afterwards  built  for  them  upon  the  ground  which 
had  been  assigned  them  ;  and  in  addition  to  the  free 
gift  from  the  generous  sovereign,  of  implements,  tools, 
flocks,  milch  cows,  and  seeds,  besides  provisions  suf- 

o  2 


.( 


'ml 


196 


FOllEIGN    COLONISTS. 


ficient  to  last  them  for  a  considerable  space  of  time, 
they  were  freed  from  all  taxes  for  the  period  of  ten 
years.  With  such  assistance  the  colonists  soon  found 
in  their  country  ease  and  happiness;  and  gradually 
extending  themselves,  founded  as  many  as  104  vil- 
lao-es,  of  which  two  were  subsequently  abandoned. 
Some  of  these  establishments  are  upon  the  left  bank 
of  the  Volga,  near  the  river,  in  places  most  favourable 
for  ag:riculture. 

The  greater   number,  however,  are  situated  upon 
the  right  bank,    between  the   Volgsk   and  Kakmys- 
chine,  and  upon  the  borders  of  the  Medvedista,  and 
the  Ilavlia,  small  rivers  falling  into  the  Don.     The 
names  of  these  villages,  Soleure,  SchafFhouse,  Zurich, 
Glaris,  Lucerne,    Unterwalden,   &c.,    recal   to    mind 
the  ancient  country  of  their  inhabitants  :  other  colo- 
nists endeavour  to  express  their  gratitude  by  giving 
to   their   little    town   the    name    of    Catherinestadt. 
Sixty-three    of    these    colonies    have    protestant    or 
reformed  churches ;  in  the  majority  of  the  others  the 
Roman    Catholic   religion    is  professed;    one    alone 
has   been   founded   by  the  Moravian   brethren,  who 
still   exclusively   inhabit   it;   this   is  the  small  town 
of  Sarepta,  so  beautiful  and  flourishing,  notwithstand- 
ing the  aridity  of  the  steppe  surrounding  it,  and  the 
losses  it  has  experienced  by  frequent  conflagrations. 
The   Moravian  brethren,    who  had   chosen   this  site, 


SAREPTA. 


197 


not  expecting  to  obtain  the  means  of  subsistence  from 
the  cultivation  of  the  land,  endeavoured  to  make  up 
for  it  by  the  establishment  of  several  small  manufac- 
tories of  stuffs,  tobacco,  liquors,  &c. ;  and  it  is  solely 
to  this  active  industry  that  they  are  indebted  for  the 
welfare  they  now  enjoy. 

In  1824  the  town  contained  fifty-seven  houses  built 
of    stone,    one    hundred    and    eighty-five    of  wood, 
twenty-five  hangars,  and  two  windmills,  thirty  water- 
works for  supplying  irrigating  canals  from  the  river 
Sarpa,  and  three  large  aqueducts,  which  supply  the 
town   with    abundance   of  excellent  water.     All  the 
streets,  planted  with  poplar,  terminate  at  the  market- 
place, which  is  ornamented  with  a  fountain.     Among 
the  public  buildings,  three  are  remarkable  for  their 
object  ;    the   Asylum   of  Sisters,   which  is  inhabited 
by  all  the  unmarried  women  of  the  colony ;  that  of 
Brothers,  in   which  live  all  the  bachelors  ;  and   the 
third    is    an    asylum    for    widows.      The  two  first 
contain  schools   for   the    education    of  the   children. 
The   gardens   surrounding   the    town   are   cultivated 
with   the  greatest  care,    and    everything   presents    a 
smiling  picture  of  prosperity  and  contentment. 

In  the  year  1811  the  population  of  these  colonies 
had  increased  to  55,000  souls;  in  1816  the  number 
reached  61,000;  at  the  commencement  of  1835  it 
was  105,574  ;  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  following 


h 


ti 


198 


COLONIAL    PROSPERITY. 


199 


year   109,796,  viz.  56,104  men,  and  53,692  women. 
In  1835  the  number  of  births  was  6,330,  whilst  that 
of  deaths  did  not  exceed  2,108.     In   1834  the  fields 
sown  with    150,017  tchetverts  of  grain,  &c.   (includ- 
ing potatoes,)  produced  a  harvest  of  1,158,259  tchet- 
verts;   in     1835    the    quantity    sown    was    173,358 
tchetverts,   but   the   harvest    proved    less    abundant. 
Notwithstanding  this,  the   colonists  were   enabled  to 
sell    120,773    tchetverts    of    corn    for    the   sum    of 
836,000  roubles,  and  136,843  poods  of  tobacco,  which 
produced   310,981    roubles.     In    the    plantations    of 
mulberry  trees,  which  had   somewhat  suffered  from 
the  severity  of  the  winter,  there  were,  however,  not 
less    than    16,241    feet   of  trees,  and  the  silk-worm 
nurseries    have    yielded    10    poods    24    lbs.    of  silk. 
Lastly,  the  cattle  have  increased  with  the  improve- 
ment of  agriculture.     In    1834   the  total  number  of 
heads  of  cattle  of  every  description  in  the  villages 
w  as   235,493  ;  the    following  year  their  number  in- 
creased to  264,788  ;  and  out  of  87,532  sheep,  included 
in  it,  1,220  were  of  the  Spanish  breed. 

Such  results  are  a  gratifying  reward  to  government 
for  its  paternal  care,  and  for  the  sacrifices  it  hesitated 
not  to  make,  in  order  to  secure  the  w^elfare  and  pros- 
perity of  these  colonies. 


KECENT  VOYAGES  AND  DISCOVERIES 


OF  RUSSIAN  NAVIGATORS  IN 


NOVA-ZEMBLA    (NOVAIA-ZEMLIA.) 


At  a  time  when,  under  the  direction  of  the  minister 
of  marine  and  of  the  St.  Petersburgh  academy  of 
Sciences,  a  new  expedition  is  about  to  visit  the 
inhospitable  shores  of  Novaia-Zemlia,  it  may  not 
prove  uninteresting  to  give  some  account  of  voyages 
recently  performed  in  those  parts  by  Russian  sub- 
jects. 

Novaia-Zemlia  was  certainly  discovered,  at  a  very 
remote  period,  by  the  Russian  inhabitants  of  the 
shores  of  the  White  Sea.  Not  only  is  its  name  a  proof 
of  this,  but  it  even  appears  that  the  Dutch  navigators, 
Heemskerk  and  Barenz,  who  in  1596  endeavoured 
to  discover  a  passage  to  the  Indies  through  these 
seas,    had,    previously   to   their   departure,   a    vague 


ii 


200 


NOVA-ZEMBLA. 


notion  of  the  existence  of  these  islands.  It  is  well 
known  that  these  courageous  mariners,  in  spite  of  the 
obstacles  which  threatened  at  every  moment  to  arrest 
their  progress,  coasted  the  whole  of  the  western  shores 
of  Novaia-Zemlia,  and  reached  its  most  northern 
point ;  but  that  having  arrived  on  its  eastern  sides, 
their  ships  were  blocked  up  by  the  ice,  and  themselves 
compelled  to  winter  there  ;  after  this,  their  only  alter- 
native was  to  return,  braving  in  their  frail  barks  all 
the  perils  of  the  icy  sea.  The  charts,  however,  which 
have  been  constructed  upon  their  authority,  are  any- 
thing but  correct — a  circumstance  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  if  it  be  considered  that  not  only  their  mathematical 
instruments  were  very  imperfect,  but  that  they  them- 
selves were  wholly  ignorant  of  the  effect  of  refraction, 
always  much  greater  in  these  high  latitudes  than  in 
places  nearer  the  equator  :  the  longitudes  and  even 
latitudes,  determined  by  these  navigators  are,  conse- 
quently, extremely  erroneous. 

The  Russians  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Archangel, 
who  were  engaged  in  the  walrus  trade,  still  continued 
to  visit  the  shores  of  Novaia-Zemlia ;  but  these  frequent 
voyages  were  unproductive  of  any  scientific  results: 
the  northern  point  which  Heemskerk  had  doubled, 
was  not  reached  by  them,  and  the  eastern  coast  ap- 
peared quite  inaccessible.  A  very  small  part  only  of 
the  coast  was  explored  in  the  18th  century  by  Rosmys- 


NOVA-ZEMBLA. 


201 


loff,  who  also  examined  Matotchkine-Schar,  or  the 
canal  which  separates  the  two  islands  that  form  Novaia- 
Zemlia. 

At  length,  during  the  years  1819-24,  five  separate 
expeditions  were  despatched  by  the  Russian  admiralty 
to  these  frozen  regions.  The  first  was  commanded  by 
Captain  (now  Vice- Admiral)  LazarefF,  the  four  others 
by  Captain  (now  Rear- Admiral)  Leitke.  Repeated  but 
unsuccessful  attempts  were  made  to  penetrate  into  the 
Karskoe  Sea,  through  the  strait  which  separates  the 
island  of  Waigatch  from  the  southern  extremity  of 
Novaia-Zemlia.  The  whole  passage  was  constantly 
blocked  up  by  an  impenetrable  barrier  of  ice,  so 
that  Captain  Leitke  was  obliged  to  confine  himself 
to  the  examination  of  the  western  coast  of  Novaia- 
Zemlia,  as  far  as  the  11 ""  of  latitude,  at  which  point 
his  progress  was  again  stopped  by  the  same  formi- 
dable obstacle.  Thanks,  however,  to  his  exertions,  we 
now  possess  an  accurate  idea  of  the  configuration  of 
this  coast,  and  have  ascertained  that  the  two  islands 
comprised  under  the  name  of  Novaia-Zemlia  extend 
in  a  slight  curve  from  south-west  to  north-east  from 
the  7P  of  north  latitude  to  a  little  beyond  76\ 
Although  Captain  Leitke  considered  the  furthest  point 
reached  by  him  as  the  Cap  Nassau  of  the  Dutch, 
it  is  possible  that  it  was  Cap  Desire  of  Heemskerk, 
which  is  to  this  day  tlie  northern  extremity  of  Novaia- 
Zemlia. 


202 


MARINE    EXPEDITIONS. 


In  1832,  some  private  individuals  equipped,  at 
their  own  expense,  an  expedition,  combining  both 
commercial  and  scientific  objects.  Three  vessels 
having,  by  permission  of  the  Minister  of  Marine,  been 
manned  and  officered  from  the  fleet,  proceeded,  accord- 
ing to  their  instructions,  in  different  directions.  The 
first  returned  in  the  autumn,  with  a  rich  cargo  of 
walrus  teeth  and  blubber. 

The  destination  of  the  second  vessel,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Krotoff*,  was  the  south-western  coast  of 
Novaia-Zemlia  ;  thence  it  was  to  proceed  through  the 
Matotchkine-Schar,  in  order  to  reach,  if  possible,  the 
mouths  of  the  Ob  or  of  the  Yenissei,  by  crossing  the 
Karskoe  Sea.  This  vessel  sailed,  accordingly,  from 
Archangel  on  the  1st  of  August,  1832,  and  on  the 
7th  arrived  in  sight  of  Cape  Kanine-Noss,  after 
which  no  further  intelligence  was  received  of  her, 
until,  in  1834,  Pakhloussoff"  discovered  her  wreck  in 
the  bay  of  Serebrianoi :  all  the  crew  appear  to  have 
perished. 

The  instructions  of  Pakhloussoff*,  who  commanded 
the  third  of  these  vessels,  were,  that  he  should  enter  the 
Karskoe  Sea,  coast  the  eastern  shores  of  Novaia-Zemlia, 
and  construct  a  chart  of  them.  Having  sailed  from 
Archangel  on  the  1st  of  August,  he  found  himself,  so 
early  even  as  at  the  end  of  the  month,  stopped  at  the 
entrance  of  Port   Kara  by  an  insurmountable  barrier 


MARINE    EXPEDITIONS. 


203 


of  ice.  He  immediately  determined  to  winter  in 
Kamenha  bay.  A  hut  which  he  built  upon  the  shore, 
twelve  feet  long,  ten  wide,  and  seven  high,  was  the 
winter  abode  of  his  crew,  who  had  very  often  to  defend 
themselves  against  the  attacks  of  bears,  besides  endur- 
ing all  the  privations  and  overcoming  all  the  difficul- 
ties so  powerfully  described  by  Heemskerk  and  Bareuz. 
At  length,  on  the  24th  of  June,  1833,  the  ice  was 
sufficiently  open  to  allow  Pakhloussoff*  to  pass  the 
strait  in  a  boat,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  a  part, 
at  least,  of  this  formidable  eastern  shore,  and  at  the 
mouth  of  a  small  river,  about  one  hundred  versts  from 
the  southern  point,  he  perceived  a  cross  which  was 
thrown  down :  the  inscription  it  bore  was  completely 
illegible,  excepting  the  date  of  7250,  (from  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,)  and  the  words  Sava  Tofanoff.  As 
Loschkines'  baptismal  name  was  known  to  have  been 
the  rather  uncommon  one  of  Sava^  it  cannot  be 
doubted  that  this  cross  had  been  erected  by  him ;  the 
certainty  of  his  voyage  and  the  time  when  it  was  per- 
formed, (the  year  1742  of  our  era,)  are  therefore 
clearly  ascertained.  Returning  to  Kamenka  Bay  on 
the  7th  of  July,  Pakhloussoff*  succeeded  in  disengag- 
ing his  vessel  from  the  blockading  ice ;  and  his  crew 
having,  on  the  11th  of  July,  quitted  the  hut  which 
had  sheltered  them  for  two  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
days,  passed   Port   Kara,  and  again  sailing    up   the 


I 


204 


MARINE    EXPEDITIONS. 


eastern  coast,  reached  the  entrance  of  Matotchkine 
Schar  on  the  18th  of  August ;  this  canal  was  tra- 
versed in  two  days,  and  by  returning  westward, 
Pakhloussoff  was  the  first  to  accomplish  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  southern  part  of  Novaia  Zemlia. 

The  following  year  Pakhloussoff  was   again   sent 
with  two  vessels  to  Novaia  Zemlia,  and  quitted  Ark- 
hangel   on  the    24th   July,    1834.     His   instructions 
were  to  complete  the  laying  down  of  the  eastern  coast 
to  the  north  of  Matotchkine  Schar.     Not  to  run  use- 
less risks,  the  expedition  proceeded  to  the  entrance  of 
the  canal,  on  the  western  side  of  the  island,  and  an 
attempt  was  made  to  pass  through  it.    Having  arrived 
on  the  14th  of  September,  through  floating  ice  whicli 
was  with  difliculty  kept  clear  of  the  vessel,  at  the 
opposite  extremity  of  the  canal,  the  Karsko  Sea  pre- 
sented itself  to  them,  covered  with  one  uniform  sheet 
of  ice;  advance  was  therefore  impossible,  and  even  in 
their  retreat  they  were  compelled  to  cut  their  way 
with  the  hatchet,  the  hitherto  floating  ice  being  now 
converted  into  fixed  masses.     A  hut  of  considerable 
dimensions,    constructed   upon  the  southern  bank  of 
Matotchkine  Schar,  afforded  them  shelter  during:  the 
winter.     Hence  Pakhloussoff*  proceeded  on  foot,  in  the 
month  of  April,  to  construct  an  accurate  chart  of  this 
canal.     A   second    expedition,  under   tlie    orders   of 
Ziwolka,  his  fellow  navigator,  was  ordered  to  explore 


MARINE    EXPEDITIONS. 


205 


the  eastern  coast  to  the  north  of  Matotchkine  Schar. 
This  officer  penetrated  as  far  as  one  hundred  and  fifty 
versts  northward,  and  would  have  proceeded  still 
further  in  that  direction,  had  not  the  fear  of  their  pro- 
visions failing  them  compelled  the  party  to  return  to 
their  winter  abode,  after  an  absence  of  thirty-four  days. 
About  two  months  afterwards,  Pakhloussoff*  and 
Ziwolka  both  embarked  on  board  the  latter's  vessel, 
the  Kosakoff*,  with  a  view  of  following  Leitke's  track 
to  the  west  of  Novaia-Zemlia,  of  doubling,  if  possible, 
the  northern  point,  and  of  returning  by  the  opposite 
shore.  But  having,  on  the  9th  of  July,  rashly  ad- 
ventured between  two  floating  mountains  of  ice,  their 
vessel  v\^as  crushed  to  pieces  so  suddenly,  as  scarcely 
to  allow  the  crew  to  reach,  in  safety,  the  shore  of  a 
neighbouring  isle,  with  their  boats,  a  few  fire-arms, 
and  a  very  small  quantity  of  provisions.  After 
remaining  on  this  desolate  spot  for  thirteen  days,  they 
were  released  from  the  horrors  of  impending  death  by 
a  walrus  vessel,  which  brought  them  back  again  to  Ma- 
totchkine Schar.  After  another  expedition  made  to 
the  eastern  coast,  Pakhloussoff"  died  at  Arkhangel. 
His  companion  Ziwolka  has  constructed  a  chart  or 
map  of  Novaia  Zemlia,  much  more  complete  than  any 
hitherto  published  ;  having,  in  addition  to  his  own  and 
his  friend's  observations,  acquired  other  accurate  infor- 
mation from  various  sources. 


206 


MARINE    EXPEDITIONS. 


Another  expedition  is  about  to  sail,  wliose  object  is 
more  particularly  the  making  of  collections  of  the 
natural  history  of  Novaia-Zemlia.  M.  Ziwolka  will 
have  the  command  of  the  Krotoff,  and  will  be  accom- 
panied by  several  Russian  naturalists.  The  examina- 
tion of  the  coasts  of  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia,  the  level  of 
the  Black  and  Caspian  Seas,  the  geographical  re- 
searches in  the  Oural  mountains,  and  the  trigonome- 
trical admeasurements  upon  the  western  limits  of  the 
empire,  are  all  simultaneous  labours  at  present  in 
execution,  replete  with  interest  worthy  the  great 
monarch  who  has  ordered  them  to  be  undertaken. 


207 


SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  TRADE  OF 

KIAKHTA. 


In  the  seventeenth  century  Russia  became  the  imme- 
diate neighbour  of  China  by  the  conquest  of  Siberia ; 
and  as  the  tribute  paid  by  the  Tartars  and  other  tribes 
inhabiting  it  consisted  wholly  of  furs,  the  quantity  of 
them  accumulated  in  the  Moscow  warehouses  far 
exceeded  the  demand  both  for  home  consumption  and 
for  the  exportation  trade  to  Turkey  and  Persia.  Under 
these  circumstances,  the  idea  naturally  suggested  itself 
of  forming  commercial  relations  with  China;  and  the 
estimation  in  which  furs  were  held  by  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  Celestial  Empire,  as  well  as  the  now  more 
general  use  of  tea  in  Russia,  rendered  success  more 
probable. 

In   1689,   Peter  the  Great  concluded    a  treaty  of 
peace   with  the  reigning   Emperor  of  China.     The 


208 


TRADE    WITH    CHINA. 


limits  of  both  empires  were  laid  down  as  well  as  the 
imperfect  knowledge  of  the  country  would  permit, 
and  the  subjects  of  both  the  contracting  powers 
were  permitted  to  pass  freely  from  either  territory  to 
that  of  the  other,  in  prosecution  of  their  commercial 
affairs. 

From  that  time  caravans  regularly  set  off  at  stated 
periods  from  Moscow  for  Pekin,  and,  in  exchange  for 
the  rich  furs  sent  thither  by  the  Russian  government, 
brought  back  from  China,  silks,  nankeens  of  different 
colours,  rhubarb,  musk,  porcelain,  precious  stones, 
gold  dust,  silver  in  bars,  and  especially  teas  in  large 
quantities.  Different  circumstances,  but  chiefly  the 
mistrust,  so  great  an  ingredient  in  the  Chinese  cha- 
racter, caused  various  interruptions  to  this  inter- 
course, till  at  length,  in  1722,  the  communication 
between  the  two  empires  was  completely  broken  off. 
Five  years  afterwards,  however,  Bagounisky,  ambas- 
sador of  Peter  the  Great  at  Pekin,  succeeded  in 
arranging  a  new  treaty  of  commerce,  which  was  sub- 
sequently ratified  by  Peter  II.  Several  parts  of  the 
frontier  limits,  before  vaguely  traced,  were  now  accu- 
rately determined  ;  the  Russian  preserved  the  right  of 
sending,  once  every  three  years,  a  caravan  direct  to 
Pekin,  and  of  having  in  that  capital  a  factory  and 
a  church.  To  facilitate  the  objects  of  the  treaty,  it  was 
agreed  that  a  plain  situated  upon  the  frontier,  near  the 


TRADE    WITH    CHINA. 


209 


little  river  Kiakhta,  should  serve  as  an  entrepot  and 
place  of  barter.  Similar  entrepots  were  also  to  be 
formed  upon  the  banks  of  the  Selenga  and  at  Nert- 
chinsk. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  trade  carried  on  at  the 
frontiers  by  private  individuals  became  far  more  pro- 
fitable than  that  of  the  caravans  sent  to   Pekin  by  the 
Russian  government.     The  jealousy  and  mistrust  of 
the  Mandarins  rendered  the  communication  with  the 
inhabitants   of  the    interior  extremely  diflicult;    nor 
could  the  Pekin  merchants  themselves  obtain  permis- 
sion to  visit  the  Russian  factory,  without  bribing  the 
numerous   persons  in   office ;  the    consequence  of  all 
which  was,  that  the  Russian  furs  were  sold  at  a  loss, 
while  the  Chinese  produce  and  manufactures    were 
purchased  at  a  much  higher  rate  than  was  paid  for 
them  on  the  frontiers.     Convinced   by  experience  of 
the  impossibility  of  finding  any  remedy  for  these  evils, 
the  Russian  government  discontinued,  in   1755,  the 
sending  caravans  to  Pekin  ;  the  fur  trade  on  govern- 
ment account  was  entirely  given  up,  and  every  efl^brt 
was  now  directed  to  the  encouragement  of  the  private 
trade. 

The  frontier  trade  now  rapidly  increased,  and  the 
necessity  which  persons  engaged  in  it  found  them- 
selves under  of  being  upon  the  spot,  soon  caused  the 
temporary  habitations,  such  as  tents  and  huts,  to  be 

VOL.    II.  p 


J^— ■"- 


210 


TllADi:    WITH    CHINA. 


converted  into  regular  dwellings,  and  two  towns 
quickly  arose  upon  the  site  appointed  by  the  treaty  as 
an  entrepot  and  place  of  barter.  The  one,  Russian, 
was  called  Kiakhta,  from  the  name  of  the  little  river 
which  bathed  its  walls ;  the  other,  Chinese,  was  known 
by  the  appellation  of  Maimatchine,  which  signifies  the 
town  of  sales  and  purchases.  These  two  towns  were 
separated  only  by  an  esplanade  of  small  extent ;  on  one 
side,  to  the  north,  appeared  a  gate  of  European  archi- 
tecture, a  Russian  guard  and  sentinels  ;  on  the  other 
was  seen  one  of  those  fantastical  edifices  which  the 
Chinese  erect  at  the  entrance  of  their  towns,  having 
its  walls  covered  with  grotesque  sculptures,  inscriptions, 
and  paintings  in  gaudy  colours.  At  Kiakhta  regular 
streets  are  formed  of  those  neat  houses  which  compose 
the  provincial  towns  in  European  Russia,  and  near 
the  vast  storehouses  belonging  to  the  American  com- 
pany, or  the  shops  established  by  the  rich  merchants 
of  Moscow,  Vologda,  and  Koursk,  rise  the  cupolas 
and  bells  of  several  churches.  At  Maimatchine,  on 
the  contrary,  the  streets,  gloomy  and  narrow,  are 
formed  by  walls  with  no  windows  in  them.  The 
court-yards  enclosed  by  these  walls  have  round  them 
small  dwelling-houses,  warehouses,  and  shops,  in  which 
is  seen  all  the  rich  produce  of  China. 

The  intercourse  between  these  two  towns,  so  near  to 
and  yet  so  different  from  each  other,  becomes  daily 


TEA    CAKES. 


211 


greater  in  proportion  as  the  Russian  trade,  which  is 
carried  on,  almost  exclusively,  by  a  few  commercial 
houses  of  Moscow,  Volgada,   and   Koursk,  increases. 
An  immense  quantity  of  tea  is  annually  imported  into 
Russia  by  this  way.     The  superior  qualities  are  more 
appreciated    and  in  greater    demand    there   than   at 
Canton  itself,  while  a  commodity,  as  yet  hardly  known 
in  Europe,  viz.  tea  in  cakes,  forms  one  of  the  most 
important  articles  of  the  Kiakhta  trade.     These  cakes 
are  composed  of  a  mixture  of  tea  and  of  the  leaves  of 
a  plant  of  the  saxifraga  genus,  found  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  Mongol  Steppes,  and  which  is  first  steeped 
in   lambs'    blood.      After   being   well   kneaded   and 
pressed  in  cakes,  the  mass  is  dried  in  an  oven.     The 
manner  of  its  use  is  equally  singular:  these  cakes  are 
dissolved  in  boiling  water  mixed  with  meal,  fat,  and 
salt.     This  tea  is  in  great  request  throughout  all  the 
nomadic  tribes  of  Central  Asia,  and  the  Russian  mer- 
chants buy  at  Kiakhta  considerable  quantities  of  it, 
to  be  again  sold    at  the  fair   of  Nijny-Novgorod,  to 
the  wandering  Tartars  or  Moguls  subject  to  Russia. 

Next  to  tea,  Chinese  cottons  were  the  most  remark- 
able   article    imported— especially    nankeens which 

were  sold  in  packets  containing  ten  pieces  each ;  these 
packets,  which  were  called  tonnes,  might  be  said  to 
represent  the  numerary  notation,  or  rather  the  circu- 
lating medium,  the  value  of  goods  being  generally 

p  2 


212 


IMPORTS    AND    EXPORTS. 


CHINESE    DECEPTION. 


213 


expressed   in  numbers  of  tonnes^   or  tens   of  tounes. 
Within  these  few  years,  however,  great  changes  have 
taken  place ;  for  the  Chinese  merchants  now  buy  of 
Russian  traders  cotton,    stuff's,   and    even   nankeens, 
perfected  in  the  Russian  manufactories. 

From  China  are  also  received  silks,  especially  flow- 
ered damasks,  crapes,  cotton,  raw  silk,  rhubarb,  cam- 
phor, musk,  China  ink,  and  a  quantity  of  other  drugs ; 
and  lastly  porcelain,  and  that  beautiful  lacker-work, 
the  secret  of  which  seems  exclusively  their  own. 

In  exchange,  the  Russian  merchants  supply  them  with 
furs ;  and  this  branch  of  trade,  at  all  times  important,  has 
become  still  more  so  since  the  American  Company  has 
forwarded  to  Kiakhta,  by  way  of  Okhotsk,  the  annual 
produce  of  the  chase,  regularly  followed  under  the 
direction  of  their  agents  in  the  Russian  American  colo- 
nies. The  beautiful  beaver-skins  they  send  are  even 
preferred  by  the  Chinese  to  every  other  fur.  Amongst 
the  other  articles  of  export,  the  most  important  are, 
leather,  glass,  steel,  and  within  these  few  years  Rus- 
sian manufactures,  the  demand  for  whicli  is  always 
increasing,  as  proved  by  the  following  table  of  exports 
in  three  different  periods. 

1825.  1830.  1835. 

Linen  to  the  amount  of      70,119  rbls.   139,231  rbls.  203,1 15  rbls. 
Cotton  stuffs       -         -         1,248  —        84,523  —      933,876  — 
Cloths        -         -         .     268,421  —  1,434,550  —  2,206,641  — 


Upon  tlie  arrival  of  tlie  first  caravans,  which  takes 
place  at  different  times  between  the  end  of  the  month 
of  December  and  the  coinmencem.ent  of  February,  the 
greatest  activity  prevails  at  Kiakhta  and  Maimatchine. 
The  Chinese  merchants  then  repair  to  Kiakhta,  pro- 
ceed to  the  warehouses,  examine  the  goods  exposed  for 
sale,  agree  upon  the  price,  and,  after  having  affixed 
their  seal  to  the  bales  they  have  chosen,  invite  the 
Russian  merchants  to  accompany  them  to  Maimatchine. 
There,  in  the  bazaars  of  the  Chinese  town,  the  Rus- 
sians, rendered  circumspect  by  experience,  place  the 
goods  they  select  in   exchange  under  the  care  of  a 
sentinel,  who  is  not  to  lose  sight  of  them  until  the 
exchange  be  actually  effected ;  but,  in  spite  of  all  their 
precautions,  they  are  often  cheated.     The  Chinese,  far 
from   imagining  that  good  faith  and  honesty  are  the 
natural  bases  of  commerce,  endeavour  to  gain  an  ad- 
vantage by  every  means  which  cunning  can  devise. 
Sometimes  they  endeavour  to  sell  their  neighbours  old 
tasteless  tea,  by  concealing  it  under  a  layer  of  fresh  : 
as  to  the  silks  and  cottons,  they  sell  them  in  packets  ; 
they  are  made  up  of  pieces  differing  in  quality  and 
colour,  and  as  the  sellers  never  permit  any  choice  or 
selection,    a  too   confiding    purchaser  is   frequently 
astonished  at  finding  in  the  middle  of  the  packet  he 
has  just   bought,    boards   whose   edges   are  cut  and 


t. 


214  TRADE    OF    KIAKHTA. 

painted  with  much  art,  in  order  to  imitate  the  pieces 
of  stuff. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  supposed  that  the  roguery 
of  a  few  individuals  has  been  able  to  operate  unfavour- 
ably to  the  progressive  increase  of  the  trade  of  Kiakhta. 
The  following  table  will  show  its  great  improvement 
and  activity  of  late  years. 

1825. 

Roubles. 
Russian  merchandise  exported,  amounting  to         4,162,437 

Transit  -         -         -         -         -         -         1,339,378 

Total  exports     5,501,815 
1830. 

Russian  merchandise  exported,  amounting  to        4,415,024 
Transit  1,983,573 

Total  exports      6,398,597 

The  trade  of  Kiakhta  being  that  of  barter,  the  im- 
ports necessarily  balance  the  exports.  In  the  transit 
merchandises  Polish  manufactures  are  included. 

1835. 
EXPORTATION. — Russian  merchandise. 

Roubles. 
Skins,  to  the  amount  of  -         -         .         -         2,229,377 

Leather 742,481 

Linen 203,115 

Cottons 933,876 

Cloths,  718,221  archines        -         -         .         .  1,799,691 

Corn,  iron,  steel,  copper,  glass,  and  other  articles,  1,446,148 

Total  6,4 J  4,688 


i' 


TRANSPORT    OF    GOODS.  215 

Polish  cloths,  206,301  archines        -         -         -  466,950 

Transit  merchandises 545,731 

Grand  total     7,427,369 

■ 

IMPORTATION. 

Roubles. 
Tea,  199,233  poods,  to  the  amount  of     -         -         6,909,149 

Silks 208,599 

Cottons 122,726 

Drugs,  &c. 186,895 

Total     7,427,369 

The  Chinese  mostly  use  camels  for  the  conveyance 
of  goods,  traversing  the  Steppes  in  long  caravans. 
The  Russians  chiefly  transport  by  water  the  mer- 
chandise which  they  send  in  summer,  or  oftener  in 
spring,  from  Kiakhta  to  Europe.  After  descending  the 
Salenga  and  crossing  the  Backal  lake,  they  arrive  at 
Jenisseck  by  following  the  course  of  the  Angara. 
From  Jenisseck  the  goods  are  sent  overland  to  the 
banks  of  the  Ket,  and  from  thence  they  reach  Tobolsk, 
the  central  entrepot  of  Siberia.  From  Tobolsk  they 
are  sent  in  sledges,  either  to  the  fair  of  Irbit,  which 
begins  on  the  5th  February,  or,  being  embarked  in 
vessels,  arrive  the  following  summer  at  Nijny  Nov- 
gorod. 


216 


PERMANENT  MAGNETICAL  OBSERVATIONS 

IN  RUSSIA. 


Great  as  has  been  the  general  improvement  of  the 
Russian  empire,  the  attention  of  the  government  to  the 
promotion  of  science  has  been  no  less.  A  convincino- 
proof  of  this  is  observable  in  the  measures  it  has  lately 
adopted  for  carrying  into  effect  the  views  of  Messrs. 
Alexandre  de  Humboldt,  Arago,  and  Kupffer,  mem- 
bers of  the  St.  Petersburgh  Academy,  respecting  mag- 
netical  observations.  Even  previously  to  the  cele- 
brated letter  of  the  former  of  those  gentlemen, 
addressed  to  his  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  Sussex, 
in  which,  among  other  valuable  suggestions,  he  insists 
upon  the  necessity  of  multiplying  observations,  and 
of  continuing  tliem  through  successive  years  in  one 
uniform  method,  and  in  permanent  observatories,  es- 
tablished in  different  latitudes,  and  at  various  distances 
from  the magnetical  equator;  the  immense  advantages 


MAGNETICAL    OBSERVATOUIES. 


217 


resulting  from  similar  labours  had  been  discussed  at 
the  sittings  of  a  committee  of  the  Imperial  Academy 
of  St.  Petersburgh,  having  for  its  chairman  the  Baron 
de  Humboldt,  who  was  at  that  time  travelling  in 
Russia.  From  that  moment  the  Academy  took  an 
active  part  in  these  interesting  researches.  A  magne- 
tical observatory  was  immediately  organised,  under  its 
direction,  at  St.  Petersburgh,  another  at  Casan,  under 
that  of  the  rector  of  the  university  of  that  city  ;  a 
third  was  soon  in  activity  in  Moscow ;  and  Ad- 
miral Greig  established  a  fourth  at  Nicolaieff, 
upon  the  borders  of  the  Black  Sea.  The  Academy  of 
Sciences  did  even  more  ;  they  despatched  a  distin- 
guished astronomer,  M.  George  Fuss,  to  Pekin,  where, 
in  the  garden  of  the  convent  belonging  to  the  monks 
of  the  Greek  church,  he  commenced  a  series  of  mag- 
netical observations,  which  have  been  since  continued 
by  M.  Kowanko. 

The  government,  upon  its  part,  powerfully  contri- 
buted to  the  progress  of  these  labours  by  placing 
at  the  disposition  of  scientific  men  the  means  of 
multiplying  their  experiments.  Thus,  at  the  recom- 
mendation of  his  minister  of  finance,  his  Majesty  the 
Emperor  was  pleased  to  order,  in  1834,  the  organisa- 
tion of  seven  new  permanent  observatories,  placed 
under  tlie  direction  of  the  corps  of  mining  engineers, 
and  divided  into  three  different  classes  ;  one  model 


218 


MODEL    OBSERVATORY. 


f''\ 


observatory  at  St.  Petersburgh ;  three  others,  furnished 
with  the  necessary  apparatus  and  instruments  for 
magnetical  and  meteorological  observations,  at  Cathe- 
riuebourg  in  the  Oural,  Barnaoul  at  the  foot  of  the 
Altai,  and  at  Nertchinsk,  near  the  confines  of  the 
Mogul  Steppes ;  and  lastly,  tliree  destined  exclusively 
for  meteorological  observations,  at  Bogosloosk,  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Oural  mountains,  at  Catherine- 
bourg  in  the  southern  part  of  this  chain,  and  at 
Lougane  in  the  government  of  Catherinosloff,  not  far 
from  the  shores  of  the  Sea  of  Azof. 

The  model  observatory,  established  at  the  Institute 
of  the  Mining  Corps,  and  the  three  establishments  of 
the  second  class,  have  already  commenced  their  la- 
bours, and  the  tnree  others  will  shortly  do  the  same. 

At  each  of  the  stations  above  mentioned  a  small 
building  has  been  erected,  in  the  construction  of  which 
the  greatest  care  has  been  taken  not  to  admit  the  least 
particle  of  iron.  The  magnetic  needle  is  therein  com- 
pletely isolated,  and  removed  from  all  accidental  in- 
fluence. Each  observatory  is  furnished  with  a  theo- 
dolite, having  the  additional  apparatus  invented  by 
M.  Gauss,  for  observing  the  absolute  declension  and  its 
fluctuations;  a  Gambey  compass,  an  instrument  pre- 
ferred by  all  European  astronomers,  for  taking  the 
horary  observations  of  the  diurnal  motion  of  the 
needle;  an   inclinatory  by  the  same  maker,  astrouo- 


MINOR    OBSERVATORIES. 


219 


mical  watches,  and  a  complete  meteorological  appa- 
ratus. Before  being  forwarded  to  the  places  of  their 
destination,  all  these  instruments  are  tested  in  the 
model  observatory,  and  carefully  compared  with  those 
used  in  that  central  establishment,  which  is  placed 
under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  the  academi- 
cian Kupffer,  the  head  director  of  all  these  establish- 
ments. 

It  is  intended  to  test,  in  this  manner,  all  the  appa- 
ratus and  instruments  destined  for  the  secondary  esta- 
blishments, and  also  by  a  regular  course  and  series  of 
observation,  to  endeavour  to  form  a  certain  number  of 
pupils,  to  whom  may  hereafter  be  confided  the  direc- 
tion of  the  minor  observatories.  In  order  that  the 
labours  of  all  these  establishments  mav  be  conducted 

4/ 

with  a  uniform  regularity,  M.  Kupffer  has,  moreover, 
drawn  up  detailed  instructions  for  the  magnetical  and 
meteorological  observations.  The  engineers  of  the 
mining  corps,  who  superintend  the  secondary  observa- 
tories, are  required  to  conform  to  these  instructions, 
and  to  forward  every  month  to  the  central  board  a 
report  upon  the  results  of  their  operations :  these  re- 
sults will,  from  time  to  time,  be  published  in  the 
Journal  of  the  ^Mining  Corps. 

Besides  the  horary  observations,  simultaneous  ones 
are  made  six  times  a  year  in  all  these  establishments. 
For  this  purpose,  the  last  Saturday  of  every  month 


i 


220 


VARIATIONS    OF    THE 


which  has  an  unequal  number  of  days  has  been 
chosen.  At  these  periods,  observations,  renewed  every 
five  minutes,  commence  at  twelve  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  continue  till  the  next  day  at  the  same  hour, 
{mean  time  of  Gottengen.)  In  like  manner  observa- 
tions are  repeated  every  three  minutes  in  succession, 
on  the  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  following,  from  eight 
till  ten  at  night,  {mean  time  of  Gottengen,)  All  these 
observations  must  therefore  be  perfectly  isochronical 
with  those  made  in  the  principal  magnetical  observa- 
tories of  Western  Europe. 

The  results  to  science  from  labours  such  as  these 
will  necessarily  be  incalculable,  and  they  have  already 
begun  to  afford  most  interesting  comparisons.  By 
the  report  of  observations  made  during  a  period  of 
four  years  at  Nertchinsk,  it  appears,  for  instance, 
that  at  that  place  the  inclination  of  the  magnetic 
needle  increases,  whilst  in  Europe  it  diminishes ;  on 
the  5th  of  August,  1832,  the  inclination  observed 
was  66"  33'  4",  increasing  afterwards  pretty  gra- 
dually; on  the  25th  of  March,  1836,  it  was  67"  8'  3". 
As  to  the  absolute  declension,  it  diminishes  at  Nert- 
chinsk as  at  St.  Petersburgh.  According  to  obser- 
vations made  in  the  former  of  these  towns,  it  was,  on 
the  5th  August,  1832,  4"  4'  3"  0;  on  the  25th  March, 
1836,  it  had  diminished  to  3"  25'  7"  0. 
The  diurnal  motion  of  the  needle   at   Nertchinsk 


MAGNETIC    NEEDLE. 


221 


coincides  exactly  with  that  observed  at  St.  Peters- 
burgh; that  is,  the  declension  increases  there  from 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon. 

The  perturbations  have  been  tolerably  frequent  at 
Nertchinsk.  It  has  been  remarked  that  there,  as  else- 
where, they  preceded  and  accompanied  the  aurora 
borealis;  but  they  are  not  isochronical  with  those 
remarked  at  St.  Petersburgh,  whilst  the  latter  per- 
fectly coincide  with  the  perturbations  observed  at 
Casan  and  Barnaoul. 


ii 


222 


ULAGODATE    MINES. 


223 


11  I 

n 


BLAGODATE  IRON  MINES. 


A  SECONDARY  branch  of  the  canal,  at  present  known 
under  the  name  of  the  Blagodate  mountain,  forms  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  parts  of  that  cliain  of  rocks, 
richer  in  interesting  phenomena  than  any  others  to 
be  found  in  Europe.  Situated  in  the  department  of 
Verkhouteric,  about  two  hundred  and  ten  wersts  from 
Catherinebourg,  the  only  appearance  which  Blagodate 
presents  to  the  eye  of  the  traveller  is  an  enormous 
mass  of  rock. 

The  numerical  riches  contained  in  these  hills,  at 
that  time  covered  with  almost  impenetrable  forests, 
were  still  unknown  at  the  commencement  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century.  Their  woody  summits  were  only 
occasionally  visited  by  a  tribe  of  Vogouls,  a  people 
of  Finnish  origin,  inhabiting  the  neighbourhood,  and 
who  had  chosen  the  most  elevated  peak  of  Blagodate 
whereon  to  celebrate  the  religious  rites  of  their  wor- 
ship. 


It  was  in  1730  that  an  individual  of  that  nation, 
named  Tchoumpine,  informed  the  Catherinebourg 
Board  of  Mines  of  the  existence  of  the  valuable  iron 
mine  which  is  now  in  process  of  working.  Having 
forwarded  specimens  of  the  mineral,  he  was  liberally 
rewarded ;  but  his  countrymen,  indignant  at  the  pro- 
fanation  of  the  sanctuary,  inflicted  upon  him  a  dread- 
ful punishment :  having  seized  him  during  the  night, 
the  wretched  Tchoumpine  was  burnt  alive  upon  the 
top  of  Blagodate. 

The  engineers  who  were  despatched  to  the  spot 
were  equally  astonished  at  the  importance  of  the  dis- 
covery which  they  owed  to  the  unfortunate  Tchoum- 
pine, and  at  tlie  singular  appearance  of  the  hill  itself, 
to  which  they  gave,  in  honour  of  the  Empress  Anne, 
the  name  of  Blagodate,  the  Russian  equivalent  for  the 
Greek  word  awa.  The  height,  whose  summit  is 
raised  seventy  sagenas  above  the  level  of  the  reservoir 
of  the  Kouchva  mining  establishment,  is  composed  of 
sienitic  porphyry  ;  a  layer  of  loadstone,  forty  sagenas 
in  thickness,  covers  the  eastern  side  of  it  for  an  extent 
of  two  wersts,  and  appears  to  descend,  to  what  depth 
is  unknown,  below  the  level  of  the  surrounding  plain ; 
there  is  also  a  layer  of  sienitic  eurytum,  which  com- 
mences at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  reaches  to 
about  the  half  of  its  height,  from  which  point  to  the 
summit  the  iron  ore  is  uncovered.     The  workino-  of 


224 


BLAGODATE    MINES. 


this  mine  is  extremely  easy.  The  ore  found  at  the 
surface  may  be  obtained  with  the  simplest  implements  ; 
and  even  at  a  considerable  depth,  where  the  ore  is 
more  compact,  it  can  be  extracted  with  comparatively 
little  difficulty. 

In  consequence  of  this  facility,  no  less  than  1,500,000 
poods  of  ore,  yielding  about  57  per  cent,  iron,  are 
annually  obtained.  The  smelting  is  performed  in  five 
different  establishments  in  the  neighbourhood. 

In  1826  the  government  caused  a  monument  to  be 
erected  to  the  memory  of  the  unfortunate  Tchoumpine 
upon  the  summit  of  the  Blagodate,  beside  a  small 
chapel,  and  on  the  6th  of  August  every  year  the  work- 
men of  the  Kouchva  mine  repair  thither  in  procession, 
to  offer  up  their  prayers  to  heaven  for  the  repose  of 
his  soul. 


225 


FISHERIES  IN  THE  RIVER  OURAL. 


In  some  of  the  southern  provinces  of  the  Russian  em- 
pire, especially  in  those  which  are  watered  by  the 
tributaries  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  fishing  has  always  been 
one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  the  national 
industry.  The  dry  and  barren  character  of  the  Steppes 
which  form  the  government  of  Astrakhan  and  a  part 
of  that  of  Orenburg,  being  wholly  opposed  to  agricul- 
ture,  the  people  inhabiting  those  regions  have  found 
some  compensation  in  the  resources  offered  them  by 
the  well-stocked  rivers  which  traverse  those  plains. 
These  rivers,  the  Volga  and  Oural  especially,  are  so 
abundant  in  fish,  that  even  after  the  lapse  of  centuries 
the  fishery  has  not  become  less  productive,  and  every 
year  immense  quantities  of  dried  and  salted  fish,  of 
caviar,  isinglass,  &c.,  are  exported  from  these  shores, 

VOL.    II,  Q 


i 

I 


226 


THE    OURAL    FISHERIES. 


either  into  the  interior  of  the  empire,  or  the  countries 
of  Central  Asia.     The  fishery  has  consequently  been  a 
primary  object  of  attention  with  the  local  authorities ; 
tlie  prosecution  of  it  is  subjected  to  regulations  which 
are  strictly  observed,  while  the  commencement  and 
the  close  of  it,  being  considered  as  the  most  important 
events  of  the  year,  are  announced  with  due  solemnity. 
The  mode  of  fishing  varies  according  to  the  season. 
Upon  the  banks  of  the  Oural  the  winter  fishery  is  the 
most  interesting.     Preparations  are  made  for  it  in  the 
month  of  June  by  closing,  near  the  town  of  Ouralk, 
the  passage  to  the  swarms  of  sturgeons  which  ascend 
the  river,  in  order  to  hibernate  near  the  head  of  it. 
A  kind  of  barrier,  formed  with  palisades  and  nets  to 
fill  up  the  interstices,  is  fixed  for  this  purpose  in  the 
bed  of  the  river ;  all  fishing,  and  even  navigation,  are 
then  forbidden  for  an  extent  of  two  hundred  wersts 
down  the  river,  all  which  space  becomes  gradually 
filled  with  an  almost  incredible  number  offish.    After 
a  trial  has  been  made  in  the  first  week  of  the  month  of 
December,  the  grand  fisheries  commence  a  few  days 
before  Christmas  ;  all  the  Cossacks  colonised  upon  the 
banks  of  the  river,  excepting  such  as  are  doing  duty 
at  the  advanced  posts  of  the  frontiers,  may  take  part 
in  them.     The  reserved  space  of  two  hundred  wersts  is 
then  divided  into  several  sections,  and  the  fishery  at 


( 


THE    OURAL    FISHERIES. 


227 


each  must  be  terminated  in  one  day,  and  in  presence 
of  the  local  authorities.  As  may  be  imagined,  it  is 
quite  a  festival  for  the  Cossacks,  who  assemble  in 
crowds  at  the  rendezvous,  armed  with  shovels,  hooks, 
bars,  and  other  implements.  At  length  the  ataman, 
placed  upon  the  ice  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  gives 
the  signal  so  impatiently  awaited  for  ;  the  firing  of 
cannon  transmits  it  to  a  distance,  and  immediately 
from  seven  to  ten  thousand  men  rush  upon  the  surface 
of  the  river,  make  openings  in  the  ice,  plunge  in  their 
weapons,  which  they  handle  with  wonderful  dexterity, 
and  announce  their  success  with  loud  cries  of  joy  and 
delight.  An  immense  number  of  sturgeons  being 
thus  taken  in  a  single  day,  they  proceed  immediately 
to  prepare  the  caviar,  which  the  Cossack  merchants 
hasten  to  send  with  the  utmost  expedition  to  the  two 
capitals  of  the  empire. 

The  annual  proceeds  of  the  Oural  fisheries  amount 
to  3,000,000  roubles :  although  very  important,  they 
are  not  now,  as  formerly,  the  only  resource  of  the 
Cossacks  inhabiting  the  borders  of  this  river;  the 
breeding  of  cattle,  with  which  they  have  for  some  time 
occupied  themselves,  is  very  productive.  In  that  part 
of  their  territory  also  which  is  situated  above  Ouralsk, 
where  the  land,  less  impregnated  with  salt,  is  more 
fertile,    some    commencements    in    agriculture   have 


..  1/ 


228 


THE    OURAL    FISHERIES. 


lately  been  remarked, — a  change  the  more  valuable, 
as  the  increase  of  the  population  is  there  extremely 
rapid. 


THE    END 


LONDON : 

PKIXTED    BY   IBOTSON    AND    PALMKR,    SAVOY   STHEKT. 


j  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  UBBAB  ES 


1010678840 


This  book  is  due  two  weeks  from  the  last  date  stamped 
below,  and  if  not  returned  at  or  before  that  time  a  fine  of 
five  cents  a  day  will  be  incurred. 


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